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Copyright 

1899 

By John Ilenton Carter 


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TO LORENZO E ANDERSON AND 
FESTUS J WADE AS A SLIGHT 
TOKEN OF RECOGNITION OF 
MANY ACTS OF KINDNESS WITH 
THE GRATEFUL AFFECTION OF 
THE AUTHOR 


1 


OZARK POST OFFICE 

Lo, the spirit of hate is abroad 
in the land, 

And the ties that should bind are as 
one with the sand — 

For the curse of the sire has come 
down to the son, 

And the land that we love, for the 
time, is undone! 

'TS 'TS, 'TS.'TS 

^/T was in the early spring time. The 
^ mail, which arrived at the village ev- 
ery evening, had just been distributed, 
and the usual crowd, drawn together by 
the occasion, were in attendance. Dea- 
con Riddle, the postmaster, a tall, an- 
gular man of fifty, with a kindly face, 
and a merry twinkle in his eyes, was 
waiting upon callers. 

‘ ‘There must be a woman at the other 
end of this correspondence,” he remarked 


SIG. 2. 


Ozark J^ost Office. 


in a jocular manner to John Gregg*, a 
well-known attorney, wlio was among 
the first to present himself at the deliv- 
ery windo>v, at the sam.e time handing* 
him the expected missive. 

‘ ‘Possibly, ” rejoined the other, as he 
stepped back to make room for those who 
were pressing forward. Several rustics 
who heard the Deacon’s remark, chuck- 
led at his futile attempt to draw the law- 
yer out, and leered at him as he made 
his way from the room with a look com- 
mon to those who have little to divert 
their minds. 

Those given to the study of character 
would have discerned in John Gregg’s 
composition the elements essential to a 
successful career. He was temperate, 
cool, methodical, and above all, im- 
pressed every one as a person with a fixed 
purpose in life. He was a hard student, 
going out very little socially, though this 
fact was no^ doubt largely owing to his 


Ozark Post Office. 


habits of strict economy, which were im- 
posed by his straightened circumstances, 
for his practice was not large. 

In personal appearance, John Gregg 
was of medium stature, dark hair and 
eyes, and not over thirty -two years of 
age. His complexion was pale, and 
his strong nose and chin proclaimed 
him a person not easily swayed when 
his mind was once made up, though in 
his intercourse with the people he was 
noted for his courtesy and was generally 
well liked. He settled in Ozark about a 
year before the beginning of the civil 
war, and that tremendous event was now 
on the eve of precipitation. A number 
of enthusiastic young men had already 
left Southwestern Missouri for the pur- 
pose of joining organized forces in the 
South, and others were forming them- 
selves into companies and drilling, who 
cherished the same hostile intentions. 
John Gregg, however, took no part in 


Ozark Post Office. 


the controversy, but attended strictly to 
his own affairs. 

At length sectional animosities reached 
a point when it became impossible for any 
one to maintain a neutral position, and 
even John Gregg, though personally pop- 
ular, failed to secure immunity from pub- 
lic censure, and his reticence became a 
subject of remark. Furthermore, it was 
openly avowed at a meeting held at the 
court-house, that the Federal authorities 
at St. Louis were being kept remarkably 
well posted concerning everything that 
transpired in the settlement. 

* ^Maybe it’s a little bird that’s carry- 
ing them the news,” intimated Major 
Parr, a wealthy citizen . 

“If it is it had better fly high and keep 
out of range,” broke out Squire Jenkins, 
another personage of equal standing in 
the community. 

^ ‘There isn’t any wings or feathers on 
that anatomy,” said Major Parr. 


Ozark Post Office. 

Public suspicion having been aroused, 
the names of several persons were men- 
tioned as likely to be guilty of the offence 
charged. Squire Jenkins suggested that 
‘ ‘it would be well enough for them to 
watch John Gregg. ’ ’ 

Deacon Riddle, however, was inclined 
to take a different view of the case, and 
declared, “if there was enough such folks 
in the country as John Gregg, there would 
be a chance of settling the difficulty with- 
out going to war. ’ ’ 

He was a strong union man and had 
taken no part in the meeting. There was 
no denying the fact, however, that John 
Gregg was hopelessly in the minority. 

“Let him express himself openly and 
above board, ” pursued Squire Jenkins, 
as if in vindication of his former obser- 
vation. “It’s no time to be a sitting on 
the fence. ” 

“That’s what I’ve been ’lowing all the 
time,” said Elder Watts, with an energy 


Ozark Post Office. 


that recalled his power as a preacher; 
‘‘I draw my conclusions from the word, 
for ‘he that isn’t for us is against us. ’ ” 

The sentiment met with a hearty re- 
sponse, and it was at once determined 
that John Gregg must either declare him- 
self in favor of the new movement or else 
leave the settlement. 

‘ ‘We don’t care to have dealings with 
a Yankee, anyhow,” insinuated Captain 
Leavenworth, a wealthy young farmer, 
whose words were all the more authori- 
tative because of his having already en- 
listed a company of cavalry for Southern 
defense. 

‘ ‘That’s so, ’ ’ came in chorus. 

There were a number in the crowd, 
however, who still had confidence in John 
Gregg’s integrity, and believed him in- 
capable of a dishonorable act; yet, as it 
was a custom of the times to subject every 
one, not already committed to the Con- 
federate cause, to the most rigorous scru- 


Ozark Post Office. 

tiny — when even the ties of consanguin- 
ity formed no barrier to sectional hatreds 
or political persecutions — no one felt it 
incumbent to lift a dissenting voice. 




II. 

Lo, the fertile fields shall 
fallow lie — 

The ploughsheare rust in the 
crumbling shed; 

Yet the flag we love shall 
never die, 

But proudly float when its foes 
have fled. 

QH FTER the meeting adjourned, the at- 
tendants went, almost in a body, to 
John Gregg’s office, which was near by. 
When they entered the room there was 
present, besides himself, a young man 
of medium stature, and very dark com- 
plexion, who was known — in the settle- 
ment — as James Braithwait, or, as the 
“White Indian,” the half-breed. Became 
of a good family and was highly educa- 
ted, having graduated from an Eastern 
college. He was financially well to do, 
and a person of some influence, though 


Ozark Post Office. 


a man of few words, and very positive in 
manner. He was also known to be an 
uncompromising Union man, and his 
friendship for John Gregg was well un- 
derstood, a circumstance which served 
to throw a tinge of suspicion upon the 
young lawyer’s loyalty to the South. 

Captain Leavenworth, who took upon 
him.self the responsibility of spokesman, 
was the first to enter. He was well ac- 
quainted with John Gregg, and the meet- 
ing between them was open and cordial. 

‘‘We’uns all have just had a meeting,” 
said Captain Leavenworth to John Gregg, 
waiting for a moment for the others to 
come in, ‘ ^and — ’ ’ 

^ Ht seems to have been v^ell attended, 
Captain,’’ interrupted John Gregg, fa- 
cetiously, as he glanced at the crowd. 

White Indian, who was standing by the 
side of John Gregg, was silent. 

Captain Leavenworth hesitated before 
continuing. The others looked mutely 

SIG. 3. 


Ozark Post Office. 


on, and altogether there was noticeable 
about the proceeding an air of formality 
quite at variance with the free and easy 
conduct that usually characterized the 
young men of this period. A single lamp 
suspended from the ceiling sent a hazy 
glow about the room and glinted upon a 
number of exposed pistols — for nearly 
every one was armed. 

Could there have been any doubt in 
the minds of John Gregg’s visitors con- 
cerning his ready acquiescence to their 
demands? At all events there was an 
anxious look in every eye, a nervous 
pallor bespread each cheek, and that pul- 
sating silence which momentarily pre- 
cedes intense action, had thrown over 
the scene its subtle spell. John Gregg 
stood in the middle of the room calmly 
greeting all with his usual stolid smile. 

‘‘As I was saying, John,” Captain 
Leavenworth went on, after recovering 
from John Gregg’s unintentional inter- 


Ozark Post Office. 


ruption, ^ ^we’uns have just had a meet- 
ing, and as you have never yet come out 
point blank which side you’re on, some 
of the boys ’lowed as how, maybe, 
politically, you was against we’uns all.” 

He spoke in a conciliatory tone and 
manner, and added, apologetically, ‘ ‘oth - 
erwise, John, we’uns all know you’re all 
right . ’ ’ 

John Gregg gazed at the speaker in 
silence. The crowd, many of whom were 
in liquor, pressed forward, making room 
for several who were yet outside to enter^ 
and all watched the proceedings with in- 
tense interest. 

^ ^ What do you say, John?’ ’ continued 
Captain Leavenworth, presently, as if 
anxious to have the matter settled. 

/^Concerning what?” returned John 
Gregg, with imperturbable coolness, his 
speech and manner indicating him to be 
a man of education and exemplary con- 
duct. 




Ozark Post Office, 


^ ‘Which side are you on?” pursued 
Captain Leavenworth, with some show of 
irritation. ‘‘Are you for the North or 
the Confederacy?” 

‘ ‘That’s just what we’uns all want to 
know,” cried out one of the crowd, “and 
no chasing around the bush, neither,” 
he added, in a tone of assumed author- 
ity. 

John Gregg’s countenance grew ear- 
nest, and as his face was smoothly sha- 
ven, every twinge of the muscles could 
be plainly detected. 

For a moment he paced back and forth 
in front of his small desk, on which lay 
several books, as if some physical effort 
were necessary to enable him to restrain 
his indignation. His cheeks were flushed 
and his eyes glowed as if fed by some 
inexhaustible fountain of power that was 
called by the occasion into full activity. 

White Indian eyed the crowd, but said 
nothing. 




Ozark Post Office. 


If any had come expecting to see John 
Gregg cower before their superior num- 
bers and stern demands, they now real- 
ized their mistake. 

‘ ^You must give we’uns all an answer, 
John,” demanded Captain Leavenworth, 
in a voice that indicated his patience to 
be well nigh exhausted. ‘‘We’uns don’t 
want Jo stay here all night waiting.” 

“Go home, Captain,” pleaded John 
Gregg, earnestly. ^ Gt’s time we were 
all in bed. ” 

Captain Leavenworth could restrain 
himself no longer. His youthful impet- 
uosity, coupled with an ardent enthusi- 
asm for the cause he had espoused, at 
last assumed the mastery of his judg- 
ment, and pounding his fist upon the 
desk, he declared, excitedly, “If you ’low 
we’uns all are going to leave here until 
we know which side you’re on you’ll find 
out your mistake after it’s too late. ’ ’ 


Ozark Post Office. 


''That’s a fact,” cried out another, 
with emphasis, the words being re-ech- 
oed by all present. 

The kindling fire of passion , fed by the 
fierce spirit of sectional hatred, leaped at 
once into a consuming flame . The crowd 
now threw off all restraint and clamored 
for John Gregg to declare his principles 
at once or suffer the consequences. 

"Maybe that a good coat of tar and 
feathers might help him to talk, ’ ’ sug- 
gested a voice from near the entrance to 
the house, the sentiment being heartily 
cheered. 

John Gregg, thongh still silent, was 
beyond question wrought into a state of 
extreme mental perturbation. His face 
grew livid, the jaws were firmly set, the 
veins of the neck became visibly swollen 
and his eyes assumed the glow of uncon- 
trollable anger. Standing erect, and 
looking his interrogators in the face, he 
waited until the turmoil had temporarily 


Ozark Post Office. 


subsided, and then said: ‘‘Your de- 

mands are as unreasonable as they are 
unjust. I cannot, without cause, re- 
nounce my allegiance to the Government, 
much less join a movement to destroy it.” 

At this juncture the throng sv/ayed 
forward, and a number of cocked pistols 
were pointed at John Gregg’s head, but 
he seemed to take no heed of his personal 
peril. 

“Let him say what he’s got to say, ’ ’ 
interjected Capt. Leavenworth; “we’uns 
want to know just how he stands on this 
question. ” 

“Shoot the Yankee; hang the aboli- 
tionist,” came from all parts of the house. 

The room was now the scene of the 
wildest confusion, and in the possession 
of a mob all the more furious because 
defied. 

White Indian motioned the crowd back, 
at the same time drawing his pistol. 


Ozark Post Office. 


^ ^My life is of small consequence com- 
pared with tho life of the Nation,” said 
John Gregg, making himself heard with 
some effort, ^‘and nothing that could be- 
fal me can in any way interfere with the 
final settlement of this momentous ques- 
tion . No ! ” he went on with an eloquence 
that for a moment held even his assail- 
ants spell-bound, ‘ ^TheUnion must and 
shall be preserved, and the man who 
seeks to destroy it is a traitor. ’ ’ 

At this juncture the excitement over- 
leaped all bounds, and the next instant 
there came the report of several pistols, 
and John Gregg fell to the floor dead ! 

White Indian now, without uttering a 
word, began to hre, and a number of the 
assailants were seen to fall. 

^ ‘Kill him, ’ ’ cried several voices, but 
after emptying his pistol with deadly ef- 
fect, he made his escape from the rear. 

Amidst the uproar that followed, the 
lamp was broken setting fire to the house 


Ozark Post Office. 


which was soon reduced to ashes, leav- 
ing the bodies of the slain smouldering 
in the ruins. 

Half an hour later, when the express 
arrived that brought the daily mail to the 
village, there was among the passengers 
a handsome young woman, accompanied 
by a little daughter, apparently ten or 
eleven years of age. The woman, after 
alighting, inquired for John Gregg’s 
office . On being informed of the fire she 
became alarmed and asked where she 
could find Mr. Gregg. 

^ H’m sorry to say, ma’am,” answered 
Deacon Riddle, who had just gathered 
up the mail bag, and was in the act of 
bearing it away, ^ ‘that he’s dead.” 

She stood for a moment, staring ab- 
stractedly about, and then sank to the 
ground in a faint ! 

4 ^ 174 ^ 


SIG. 3A. 


III. 


There was mounting in haste, 
and the fervent farewell — 

There were sighs, there were tears, 
all that passion may tell. 

Ah, the wild, frenzied look, and the 
disheveled hair 
That is tossed as a cloud in 
the storm of despair. 


S already noted, the usually quiet 


village of Ozark Post Office had 


become the scene of the wildest carnage 
and was wrought up to the highest state 
of excitement. Beside John Gregg, a 
number of the most prominent young men 
in the settlement had perished in the 
conflict. The body of John Gregg was 
recognized by his gold watch, on which 
was inscribed his name. Deacon Riddle 
buried his remains in his own lot in the 
village cemetery. The bodies of all the 





•H-18-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


others were removed by friends and rel- 
atives. 

Deacon Riddle took charge of the wo- 
man and little girl, who proved to be the 
wife and daughter of John Gregg, and 
had them conveyed to his own house, 
where they were kindly cared for. 

The news of the tragedy spread quickly 
and by midnight hundreds of people had 
gathered in from the surrounding coun- 
try to learn the full particulars. Capt. 
Leavenworth and those of his party who 
had escaped, circulated among them and 
explained the circumstances. 

“I didn’t think it would come to this,” 
declared Captain Leavenworth to Deacon 
Riddle and several other prominent citi- 
zens, who were viewing the scene, ‘‘and 
I did all I could to keep the boys from 
shooting. ” 

‘ ‘You were the leader of the crowd, ” 
insisted Deacon Riddle, “and are there- 
fore responsible.” 




Ozark Post Office. 

Captain Leavenworth flushed at this 
remark and bit his lips in an effort to 
control himself. He was evidently greatly 
moved by the course things had taken. 

The original mountaineers were a hardy 
set, and many of them came of revolu- 
tionary stock . They chose the mountains 
because they had been, from time imme- 
morial, inhabitants of miountainous coun- 
tries. Isolated as they were, from the 
progressive influences of civilization, 
they had on the whole retrograded in the 
remote districts, but around Ozark Post 
Office, which was situated in the valley, 
near the base of the highlands, where 
the land was fertile, there was consider- 
able wealth and culture. The people, 
generally, were very religious, although 
their theology was of that hard and 
unforgiving species which was common 
at the time, but which the country has 
since largely outgrown. The preacher 
dealt in positive terms — right and wrong ; 

•H-20-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


eternal life or eternal punishment, was 
the issue, and the question was, which 
would the listener choose? Figurative 
terms were construed to be literal truths. 

‘‘This book, Parson Watts, the lead- 
ing religious light of Ozark Post Office, 
was in the habit of remarking, pounding 
the open volume with his bony fist, ‘ ‘is 
the word of God. Therefore, it is every 
word true. If you reject one single sen- 
timent, then you reject it all.” He spoke 
with a power which was evidently inspired 
by thorough conviction, and the effect 
upon his hearers was something akin to 
that of Richelieu where he threatens to 
launch upon his enemies the curse of 
Rome. The church was as intolerant as 
the Southern slaveholder and quite as 
exacting. 

The less prosperous mountaineer usu- 
ally did a little farming, hunting, trapping 
and distilling. The latter pursuit he had 
been in the habit of carrying on before 


Ozark Post Office. 


the war, when everything ^ ^run free, ’ ’ 
and when this avocation became subject 
to internal revenue tax, he felt that one 
of his vested rights had been wrongfully 
wrested from him. He could not see 
why he should be called upon to pay 
tribute on his weekly out-put of whisky 
any more than on his corn and other 
commodities, and as a result, he was of- 
ten known to the government officials as 
a ‘ ‘moonshiner,” and a frequenter of 
prisons. 

Any one not acquainted with the true 
sentiment as it appeared on the surface, 
would imagine the Confederates outnum- 
bered the Federals three to one, but this 
v/as not the case. The advocates of the 
Southern cause were largely of a class 
who had little at stake and everything to 
gain by the rupture. Many of these were 
persons of foreign or Northern birth, 
which fact being known, they were not 
so implicitly trusted as the natives, ahd 

-H-22-H- 


OzARX Post Office. 


in oi*d8r to prove their fealty, were given 
to the committing of overt acts, attempt- 
ing, as it were, to ^^out Herod Herod.” 
This was true not only of the Ozark re- 
gion, but throughout the entire South, 
where nearly all the negro drivers were 
of alien birth. Indeed, it is quite prob- 
able that had it not been for this element 
there would have been no war. The real 
slaveholder, who had everything to lose, 
was not inclined to precipitate matters. 

As may be imagined, the Confederates 
were very bitter against White Indian, 
who had slain so many of their number, 
and swore vengeance against him should 
he be caught, yet, no one volunteered to 
attempt his capture. Quiet and unassu- 
ming as White Indian was, he had a rec- 
ord in the settlement which made all wary 
of him when it came to personal conflict. 
As a member of the vigilance committee 
organized in the settlement to suppress 


-H-23-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


outlawry, which was rampant in the 
mountain sections during this period, he 
had often proved his nerve. More than 
one desperado who attempted to defy the 
civil authorities, had met their fate at his 
hands. 

By morning the crowd had considera- 
bly thinned out, yet throughout the day 
people kept coming in to inquire after 
relatives and friends, and ascertain the 
names of the dead. Later in the day, 
news got abroad that a company of Fed- 
eral cavalry, led by AVhite Indian, was 
approaching. This was a signal for all 
Southern sympathisers to hasten away, 
leaving the more conservative element, 
known as Union men, in possession of 
the village. 

Deacon Riddle was among them. ‘ U 
wished,” he remarked, as he watched 
the troops dismount, ‘‘that they’dve got 
here a little earlier^ for it would have 
saved a heap of mischief. The woman 


Ozark Post Office. 


has gone stark crazy, and the child ain’t 
much better; she just cries all the time. 
Doctor ’lows we’ll have to send the mother 
to the county house where she can be 
locked up; can’t control her any other 
way, I reckon. ’ ’ 

Two v/eeks had now passed since the 
tragedy. The day before it was decided 
to send Mrs. Gregg to the poor-house, 
Deacon Riddle set about looking for a 
place for the daughter. His own family 
was so large that he could not well give 
her a permanent home himself, and he 
wished to avoid the necessity of compel- 
ling her to associate with the class she 
would be brought in contact with at a 
place of public charity. The girl was 
large of her age and unusually attractive. 
Moreover, he had already discovered that 
she was well-bred, and educated beyond 
her years; being a shrewd observer, he 
had discerned in the daughter great pos- 
sibilities. The delicate attention she had 


SIG. 4. 


Ozark Post Office. 


shown her mother from the moment of 
her prostration, putting aside as far as 
possible, her ov.m sorrow, that she might 
all the better administer to her comfort, 
impressed him very favorably and made 
him her friend. His wife and family 
were also greatly drawn towards her. 
Before entering upon his mission, Dea- 
con Riddle had thought over the matter, 
and made up his mind as to who would 
be the most likely to take the gir], for it 
was evident she had not been brought up 
to work and would prove of little service 
to any one unless to act as a nurse or 
companion for a child. The Parr’s, who 
were wealthy, and owned the adjoining 
farm, he concluded to visit first. The 
family consisted of Major Parr, his wife 
and two children, Walter, in his eight- 
eenth year, and Rosa, aged two. There 
were also several servants and a number 
of slaves about the place. Major Parr 
and Walter had left on the arrival of the 

4^26-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


Federal troops to cast their lots with the 
South. As the servants were all colored 
the Deacon argued that an intelligent 
white girl would be a more suitable com- 
panion for little Rosa, and Mrs . Parr was 
not long in arriving at the same conclu- 
sion, so that an arrangement was soon 
concluded. Mrs. Gregg had not recog- 
nized her child since the first night of her 
illness and was not conscious of their 
separation, when, on the next morning, 
she was removed to the county house and 
her daughter left her side to take up her 
abode with strangers. The parting, how- 
ever, was none the less affecting to those 
present. Deacon Riddle attended per- 
sonally to their removal. After greeting 
Mrs. Parr, he introduced the child as 
Alice Gregg. Mrs. Parr received her 
kindly, and noticing she had been weep- 
ing, spoke some words of comfort. Pres- 
ently she directed a small colored girl to 
show Alice to a room next to her own. 


Ozark Post Office. 


When the two had departed Mrs. Parr 
turned towards the Deacon, who was a 
leading light in her own church, and who 
was highly thought of, and exclaimed, 
reckon the girl ain’t to blame if her 
father was a Yankee. At all events, 
she’ll have to be taken care of by some- 
body. And they say that Gregg didn’t 
hurt anybody, but that it was White In- 
dian that did all the mischief. Well, I’m 
glad,” she went on thoughtfully, ‘ ‘that 
none of our folks were mixed up in the 
affair.” She folded her hands on her 
lap and waited for an expression of opin- 
ion on the part of the Deacon, whom she 
knew to be very conservative, as he 
never would own or em.ploy slaves . 

“It was a sorry affair,” he said, after 
a brief silence, “and Mrs. Parr, this 
ain’t going to be the last of it. You re- 
member the fable of the lion . It was as 
harmless as the lamb before it accident- 
ally tasted blood . ” 




Ozark Post Office. 


The remark nettled her, and her black 
eyes flashed as she answered, ‘"No, 1 
reckon that they’ll not be satisfied until 
they’ve robbed us of everything an’ freed 
all the slaves; that is, if they’re able; 
but we’ll see about that,” she went on, 
in a tone of defiance, “but what’s the 
news?” 

‘ ‘Oh, the whole country’s roused, and 
war is certain. Lincoln has called for 
seventy-five thousand men to defend the 
flag and preserve the Union, and — ” 

She sprang to her feet and interrupted 
him: “And what else?” she demanded, 

‘ ‘for if there’s anything that threaten ’s 
disaster to our cause you are sure to know 
it. ” She walked to the window, where 
she stood for a moment gazing outward , 
and then resumed her seat. 

Deacon Riddle watched her closely. 
Though they differed politically, they 
were life-long friends, and he greatly 
admired her for her sterling character; 

44-29-H^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


and above all, for her beauty, which was 
remarkable. She was of the brunette 
type, tall and lithe of fig-ure, under forty, 
and highly educated. In spite of the 
' idiomatic flavor of her speech, which was 
inherited, none wrote a more beautiful 
hand or spelled more correctly. Letters 
can convey but a feeble idea of the charm 
of the Southern dialect at its best. It is 
indigenous to the soil, and has not, as 
some imagine, anything to do with bad 
spelling or ignorance. It is soft and 
flowing, and possesses an eveness of 
tone which is delightful. Moreover, it 
always seems to suggest more than it 
tells, leaving much between the lines 
to be thought out. Still it is all old, 
primitive English on the most part, for 
the South has not added a new word to 
the language. ‘^Tote,” imagined by 
some to be a creation of the Southern 
negro, occurs often in Shakespear, and 
other works of that or an earlier period. 

-H-SO-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


The same is true of ‘‘dote.” ‘‘Waal,” 
for ‘‘well,’’ ‘‘ther’’ or “thar,’’ for 
‘‘there,” are equally ancient, and so 
one may go over the list. During the 
four years of war between the North and 
South, this peculiarity of speech was 
closely studied by the scouts of the two 
armies ; and to remain silent when spoken 
to was always taken as an evidence of a 
desire to conceal something. ‘ ‘ We’uns 
all, ” uttered by one born of the soil, and 
inheriting its peculiarities, can never be 
successfully counterfeited by a North- 
erner. The words may be there but the 
flavor, which, as already indicated, is 
the charm, will be wanting. 

“And what else?” she said, noticing 
that the Deacon was not disposed to be 
communicative. 

“Well, there’s nothing, I reckon, Mrs. 
Parr, that you’d care to know. I don’t 
take any pleasure in hurting your feel- 




Ozark Post Office. 


ings. What there is to say is bad for 
your side. ’’ 

‘‘An’ what is that?” she questioned, 
eagerly; ‘‘I’m not afraid to know the 
\vorst. ” 

‘‘Well, Camp Jackson, St. Louis, has 
surrendered, and Seigel is enlisting the 
Germans to put down the rebellion.” 

In a moment she was on her feet again. 
‘‘And you’ll welcome them, of course, 
when they come here to despoil us.” 

She waited for an answer without re- 
moving her eyes from his face. 

‘‘Yes,” he rejoined, reluctantly, as 
if not wishing to wound her feelings, 
‘ ‘but I shall do my best to have you and 
yours protected. And it’ll not be a bad 
thing, you’ll find, I hope, to have one 
friend that has influence with your ene- 
mies. ” 

Mrs. Parr resumed her seat and be- 
came calm. Her sixty slaves, many of 
whom she and her husband had inherited , 


Ozark Post Office. 


were still loyal, though less industrious 
and cheerful while at their daily tasks. 
Knowing that the war was about them- 
selves chey grew suspicious, and were 
disposed to eaveasdrop and listen to dis- 
cussions, and take counsel from a class 
whose chief delight it was to stir up dis- 
sentions that would serve to weaken the 
power of the opposition. Yet there was 
no general, open rupture till after the 
emancipation proclamation was issued. 

At last Deacon Riddle took his depar- 
ture. Though still defiant and uncom- 
promising in her attitude towards the 
North, or the Yankees, as she called 
them, Mrs. Parr accompanied him to the 
door as if loth to create a breach that 
might forfeit his good will, and thereby 
lose whatever influence he might other- 
wise exert with the authorities in her be- 
half. She was a true type of the high- 
born Southern woman, and above all, 
possessed tact. 


-h^33-h- 


SIG. 5. 


IV. 

They met in the field, in proud 
martial array, 

Ah, where battles are lost and 
are won ! 

One wearing the blue — the other 
the grey — 

In the greatest war under 
the sun! 


'HN "Tv nfv 'TV mV mV 

^j^EING alone and unoccupied, Mrs. 
^ Parr now turned her thoughts to 
Alice, whom she had brought into her 
presence, for the purpose of instructing 
her as to her duties as a member of the 
household . From the little she had seen 
of the child, she had already formed a 
very favorable opinion of her, though to 
be sure she regarded her in the light of 
a servant only. One thing that impressed 
her above all else was Alice’s apparently 
cheerful disposition, in spite of the terri- 
ble ordeal through which she had so re- 


Ozark Post Office. 


cently passed, and from which she had 
by no means recovered. She gave little 
outward evidence of her sorrow; indeed, 
her conduct in this respect was so marked 
that it attracted the attention of Mrs. 
Parr, who, for a time, was at a loss to 
account for it on any other theory than 
that of indifference. It did not require 
many hours of close observation, how- 
ever, to rid her mind of this delusion. 
She soon made the discovery that Alice’s 
conduct was the natural sequence of a 
strong character and great self-control. 
She was neither weak or emmtional in her 
nature, and moreover, her good breed- 
ing never for a moment forsook her. 
Young as she was, she realized her po- 
sition, and resolved to make the best of 
the circumstances. 

Little Rosa, whom it was her duty to 
care for and amuse, had already proven 
a source of comfort to her. Then, the 
place itself was attractive. The mansion, 

-h-3544- 


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which was large, was surrounded by a 
well-kept lawn, and an abundance of 
flowers and shrubbery, while a number 
of native pines served to amplify the 
shade, yet leaving the sun free to pene- 
trate to the other thrifty growths. Close 
at hand was a garden containing an ar- 
bor, over which grew vines, now laden 
with grapes in a half matured state, and 
underneath all stretched seats, running 
the entire length, on opposite sides. This 
cosy retreat soon became a favorite re- 
sort with Alice and little Rosa. The 
view, especially at this season of the 
year, when nature is at her best, was 
charming. The Osage, winding through 
the fertile valley below, much of which 
was owned by the Parr’s, threaded its 
way leisurely, and in every direction 
could be seen orchards where the trees 
were bending beneath the weight of the 
luscious fruit for which the country is 
noted. And yet, in spite of all this, and 


Ozark Post Office 


Alice’s apparent cheerfulness, her mind 
was elsewhere. The death of her father 
had been a severe blow, but she realized 
that with him all was over. He had 
passed into her life as a pleasant memory, 
a sweet dream never to be forgotten ; but 
not so with her poor demented mother. 
The thought of her being incarcerated in 
the poor house among unsympathizing 
strangers, almost crazed her, and often 
when alone, she was unable to suppress 
her sorrow. Strong natures are said to 
weep inwardly, and who shall speak of 
the fountains of tears that flow unseen? 
So the huRidrum of life went on. Occa- 
sionally Alice would hear from her mother 
but the news was not encouraging. The 
best that could be said, and it served in a 
measure to soothe the child’s heart, was, 
that she suffered but little. As she re- 
gained strength she became possessed of 
hallucinations com.mon to persons of un- 
sound mind, and which the All -wise 

-h-3744^ 


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power seems to vouchsafe them as a balm, 
diverting where it cannot heal, and thus, 
as it were, bridging the chasm between 
the overthrowing of the intellect and the 
final dissolution of the casket which con- 
tains it. Meanwhile, Alice sought con- 
solation in the performance of her duties, 
in books, and particulariy in the Bible, 
which she read daily. She also accom- 
panied Mrs. Parr on the Sabbath to the 
church, and early connected herself with 
a class in the Sunday School, an insti- 
tution that she had loved from the time 
she could remember, and with which she 
was familiar. Here she met regularly, 
Deacon Riddle, who continued to show 
her every kindness and keep her informed 
as to the condition of her mother, he hav- 
ing business at the county house nearly 
every week, in the capacity of a director. 

As the war progressed sorrows came to 
others of the vicinity, and while these 
did not in the least lessen her own grief, 

•h-3844- 


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they served to arouse her sympathies, 
broaden her views, and give her a better 
understanding of what life is. She saw 
the troops triumphantly on their way to 
battle, their banners waving, heard the 
cheers that proclaimed the eagerness for 
the onslaught, even once caught the 
sound of the heavy artillery, and later 
learned of the carnage that brought sad- 
ness and mourning to more than one 
neighboring household. She saw again, 
the scene changed; the funeral cortege, 
the trailed banners, heard the muffled 
drum and the solemn march, proceeded to 
the open grave, heard the few words of 
comfort spoken to breaking hearts, saw 
the earth shut out forever the last ves- 
tige of some ambitious youth whom they 
said had died for his country. 

More than this, she noticed, young as 
she was, for her own self-dependent lot 
had made her eager of observation and 
old in years, that as the summer waned, 

-ff39-K 


Ozark Post Office. 


the leaves and flowers withered, and the 
earth took on a sombre hue; that the 
moving human world kept pace as well, 
and assumed a similar tone. There was 
no more the usual gayety; people talked 
cautiously in subdued tones, and sables 
bedecked every home. Environed, as 
Alice was, there was nothing for her to 
do but bear up and let things take their 
course. Hope, which is seldom prone 
to leave the human heart, is ever present 
with the young, for, say what we may, 
we count the years. Gazing backwards 
Alice realized that but a step separated 
her from her earliest recollections and 
the present, while beyond a great, un- 
tried world spread out before her. Each 
decade marks its own peculiar period of 
development. The blood claims kinship 
with all nature and falls without effort 
into its own fitting environment . Animals 
in their youth prefer children to older 
people. She had read in her Bible, and 

-H-40-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


heard it repeated in Sunday School, that 
all is vanity, and while she could not be 
expected to recall the fact that the senti- 
ment was uttered by one who had made 
life’s journey under very auspicious cir- 
cumstances, and should be thankful for 
the fair sailing and delightful trip, she 
preferred to try the experiment for her- 
self. Her splendid physical health and 
well-poised mind aided her in reaching 
this conclusion. So, notwithstanding 
her misfortunes she was still disposed to 
cling to life with tenacity. 

She had already made the acquaint- 
ance of a number of the colored people 
on the place, two of whom. Uncle Jerry 
and Aunt Martha, who were house ser- 
vants, she had become much attached to. 
They were both of a very religious turn 
of mind and found sympathetic compan- 
ionship in ‘ ‘little Mistis Alice,” as they 
called her. The old couple were married 
to each other and had come as an inher- 

-H-41-H- SIG. 6. 


Ozark Post Office. 


itance to the family. Neither of them 
could read or write and their little knowl* 
edge had been gained by listening to 
others discuss matters, and from the min- 
ister, whom they willingly never omitted 
to hear. Often in the evening, when the 
labors of the day were over, Alice would 
read to them on the back porch from the 
Bible or the newspaper, as the case might 
be, and every word that fell from her lips 
was eagerly devoured. They were not 
ignorant of the fact that their race was 
the real cause of the prevailing sectional 
conflict, yet they could not bring them- 
selves to see the necessity of it, or im- 
agine why the colored people should wish 
to be free. 

‘ ^Perhaps,” said Alice to Uncle Jerry 
one day, when they had been talking on 
this subject, and he seemed perplexed 
and appeared to be in a deep study, 
“they may not all have as good a master 
and mistress as you and Aunt Martha.” 

-h^42-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


‘ ‘I nebber thought ob dat, Mistis Al- 
ice; mebbeyose right; we hab alus libed 
wif quality dat we could look up to, an’ 
mebbe some doan have it. Wese be- 
longed to our mastah an’ missus alus, 
an’ wouldn’t know how to git ’long wid- 
out ’em.” 

He lifted his face and turned to his old 
wife for a look of approval, but she kept 
her eyes on her knitting and said noth- 
ing. Their honesty, and steadfast be- 
lief in the final triumph of the right and 
the utter annihilation of the wicked, was 
a source of much comfort to Alice, who 
bad been brought up in a similar atmos- 
phere. Another attraction for Alice was 
the family library, which was very com- 
plete. Here she found such books as she 
had been accustomed to read, together 
with the current magazines and newspa- 
pers. The parlor also contained a fine 
piano, and Mrs. Parr encouraged her to 
practice her music, so that when the time 

-h^434> 


Ozark Post Office. 


should arrive she might be able to instruct 
little Rosa. The few tunes she knew 
were mostly sacred, and she cultivated 
little else, well knowing that under the 
circumstances levity illy became her. 
Often when she was performing Uncle 
Jerry and Aunt Martha would come into 
the hall and listen. ‘‘Nearer, my God, 
to Thee,” seemed to be her favorite. 
The air was in striking contrast with the 
martial strains which came from the mil- 
itary camp beyond, yet it seemed fitting 
and appropriate. Sometimes soldiers in 
passing would pause to catch a few notes, 
which no doubt reminded them of home 
and loved ones far away. 

4♦44-H^ 



And the beast of prey shall 
come once more 
To his own — the primeval 
plan — 

The woods resound with the 
old-time roar, 

And nothing be hunted — 
but man! 

'^S 

S time wore on the war became grad- 
ually further removed from Ozark 
Post Office, with the exception of guer- 
illa fighting, though every fall a general 
raid would be made into the State by the 
Confederates for the purpose of securing 
supplies. On these occasions the Fed- 
erals would be temporarily driven back 
along the border, and the Confederates 
come into possession of the Southwest. 

Captain Leavenworth and his company 
of cavalry always took advantage of this 
opportunity to visit their old home, and 

44^45fH- 


OzAPvK Post Office. 


circulate for a brief time ammug their old 
friends. Each return, however, showed 
a great falling off in the number of his 
men. Many died from dissipation, and 
others had fallen in battle or been killed 
by sharp-shooters while scouting. Cap- 
tain Leavenworth, himself, had lost an 
arm. The diminution in his ranks was 
noted by the Unionists, who were cogni- 
zant of the murder and commented on as 
a just retribution to those who had taken 
part in the act. It was further intimated 
by some that White Indian was largely 
responsible for this great mortality . He 
and his chosen comrade, a mountaineer 
by the name of Zeb Posey, had taken an 
active part in the struggle from the very 
start, and many stories were current of 
their daring exploits. , Posey was a tall, 
slender man of thirty, with oval features 
and a tremendous hawk nose. He was 
a dead shot and as fleet footed as a deer. 
It was said of him and White Indian that 

-H-46-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


in a day’s journey in the mountains they 
could distance the fleetest steed. It was 
only as a scout that Braithwait was 
known as White Indian, and no one ever 
addressed him otherwise than by his 
name . He would not tolerate familiarity 
and none ever attempted it. Even Posey 
regarded him in the light of a superior 
officer, and obeyed him as such. 

Development for some time in South- 
west Missouri was downward. The fields 
went uncultivated; the public roads, ex- 
cept those used for military purposes, 
were neglected, and became almost im- 
passable. School houses were closed, 
churches but lightly attended, and, as if 
to furnish additional evidence that the 
tide of human affairs was rolling back- 
ward, wild animals became more numer- 
ous than ever before known, even by the 
oldest settlers. The little stock the two 
armies in their ravages had spared, was 
constantly being devoured by beasts of 


Ozark Post Office. 


prey, and even human life was endan- 
gered. All this was the natural outgrowth 
of the situation. For four years and up- 
ward, no one outside of the military ser- 
vice was permitted to carry arms, and 
the report of a gun in the woods was an 
offence that called for an immediate in- 
vestigation by the provost guards. 

Two years passed and still Mrs. Parr 
had not seen the Major or her son. They 
were with Lee in Virginia. Occasionally 
she heard from them through one who 
had been captured and paroled, for many 
were already tired of the service and were 
availing themselves of this means of get- 
ting rid of it, or by letters smuggled 
through the lines. Meanwhile, the eman- 
cipation proclamation had been issued, 
and most of her slaves were gone. Some 
of them had enlisted in the army. A few 
of the older men and women remained on 
the place and worked on shares, or for 
wages. Uncle Jerry and Aunt Martha 

-H-48-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


refused to acknowledge any change in 
their condition, and continued loyal. 
Very naturally, those families who had 
relatives in the Southern army were re- 
garded by the Unionists with suspicion, 
though on the surface everything seemed 
serene, and persons and property were 
respected. Socially, the two factions 
had little to do with each other, though in 
business affairs the line was not so closely 
drawn. The farmers brought in their 
products and disposed of them for cash, 
or exchanged them for such articles as 
they needed. All were required to take 
the oath of allegiance and procure a per- 
mit if they wished to carry anything 
whatever through the lines. While the 
majority of the men of suitable age were 
in the army, the women staid at home, a 
circumstance which greatly relieved the 
monotony of camp life, as their presence 
inspired order among the troops, for not- 
withstanding their aversion to the mili- 

SIG, 7. 


Ozark Post Office. 


tary, they conducted themselves in a 
manner which won the esteem and re- 
spect, even of those between whom there 
could be no sympathy in common. If 
they could not be approached on terms 
of friendship or intimacy, they could be 
and were admired at a distance. 

War, with all its horrors, has never 
succeeded in divesting a handsome and 
accomplished woman of her power of fas- 
cination, and the better class of Southern 
women possessed this faculty to a re- 
markable degree. They were born to 
command and could ask a favor or a kind - 
ness with a grace that made it a real lux- 
ury to serve them. Mrs. Parr was a con- 
spicuous example of this type. The most 
trivial trespass by any of the troops upon 
her premises was sure to result in the 
summoning of an officer, and no matter 
in what frame of mind he might enter her 
door, he invariably left it her friend. 
She was above all things a womanly wo- 


Ozark Post Office. 


man, and with all her strength of char- 
acter she seemed always to be seeking 
the sympathy of some one in whom she 
could confide, and on whom she might 
rely. The person who chanced to hold 
her attention for the mom.ent was quite 
apt to imagine himself without a rival in 
her esteem. Her art was intuitive, the 
highest art, and charmed without appa- 
rent effort. 

About the house the daily routine of 
life went on . In the village the school 
had been re-established, and Alice at- 
tended and made good progress. She 
could not be expected to be happy, and 
yet she was far from complaining or 
brooding over her sorrow. Her mother 
had regained, largely, her strength, but 
her mind was almost a blank. At times 
she seemed to have a vague recollection 
of her daughter, but her talk was ramb- 
ling a,nd incoherent, and lacked conti- 
nuity. At one moment her eyes v/ould 

-h51^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


seem to regain something of their old- 
time intelligence, but the next they were 
blank and expressionless . The only con- 
solation Alice gained from her frequent 
visits to the county house was that she 
became convinced that her miother suf- 
fered no pain. And yet, in this respect, 
she reasoned, she might be mistaken. 
Had she not herself, on many occasions, 
experienced torture when underthe influ- 
ence of dreams or seized by nightmare, 
when she, too, was in perfect physical 
health . She shuddered to think that 
perhaps her mother at this moment might 
be in the clutches of some such monster. 
Ah, who can tell? Certainly, none have 
returned from the gloomy precincts of 
madness to explain. Those that recover 
do not bring with them the memories 
of blighted years. Happily, these be- 
long to oblivion . 

Deacon Riddle and his wife were fre- 
quent visitors at the Parr mansion, as 

•h-52^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


well as his two daughters, who were the. 
class mates of Alice at school. Here, 
also, she met a number of boys of her 
own age, and altogether the time passed 
pleasantly. Associations were formed 
that strengthened as time progressed, 
and she began to attract to herself a lit- 
tle world that was not without its sun- 
shine. Occasionally she was invited out 
to a party given by some of the less prom- 
inent people of the neighborhood, when 
she would be escorted home by a certain 
one of her school boy friends, who man- 
aged to get ahead of others who were 
anxious to perform the same service, and 
they would be certain to take the longest 
path, and still have a good deal to say 
after reaching the gate and the time came 
for parting. There was not much going 
on in that vicinity that interested them ; 
it was not that which detained them . No, 
it was an indescribable interest they felt 
in one another that drew them together. 


Ozark Post Office. 


Each might manifest the same interest 
in another, for that matter, for they were 
not in love. Alice enjoyed company, 
provided it was of the right sort, but she 
disliked rudeness and shrank from famil- 
iarity. Her mother always impressed 
upon her mind the necessity of holding 
herself aloof from undue advances. She 
had recounted her own experience in this 
respect and informed her that her father 
never kissed her until after their mar- 
riage. The gentlemen of the old school 
were particular to instruct their daugh- 
ters not to be too easily won. It is not 
the apple that is in every one’s reach 
that is prized the highest. All of this 
Alice remembered and clung to. She re- 
ceived many marks of courtesy from the 
younger officers of the army, but was 
careful not to return them. One day a 
lieutenant, who had performed some ser- 
vice for Mrs. Parr, and v/ho had been on 
speaking terms with Alice for quite a 

-h-54^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


time, offered her his hand as he ap- 
proached to greet her. She drew back 
and refused to receive it. He flushed, 
and showed plainly that he realized his 
awkward position, and never attempted 
anything of the sort again. Mrs. Parr 
was before her as a constant example. 
Not only in her general deportment, did 
she demonstrate her superiority, but in 
her dress and the neatness of her person. 
Maj. Chadwick noticed this from the first, 
and was wont to say, when speaking of 
her to his friends that she was the only 
woman he ever knew that was always on 
dress parade. Still she never affected 
anything of this character. Her apparel 
seemed as much a part of her as the calyx 
is of the rose. 


^♦ 554 ^ 


VI. 


Where the sombre shadows creep 
Silently npon the lawn, 

And the morning glories peep 
Through the dewdrops at the dawn, 
He shall lowly lie and wait 
Unattended through the years. 

And oblivious to fate. 

Praise or blame, sighs or tears. 

S may be imagined, in a community 


where nearly every family was rep 


resented by one or more of its members 
on the field of battle, there was ample 
cause for mourning. Evidence of sorrow 
was always conspicuous. There were 
few women, outside the wives of the offi- 
cers stationed at the post, who were not 
clad in black. Mrs. Parr at last came 
to it . One morning the papers announced 
that Major Parr had been wounded and 
captured at Gettysburg, but a second 
report brought the intelligence of his 



-k56-h 


Ozark Post Office. 


death. Walter Parr, who was with the 
same command, escaped unharmed. 

Deacon Riddle, notv/ithstanding that 
he was a strong Union man, went East 
and brought the Major’s body home for 
burial. His standing as a staunch friend 
of the North enabled him to perform the 
duties undertaken without delay. The 
news of Major Parr’s death completely 
prostrated Mrs. Parr, and it was feared 
for a time she would not survive the 
shock. She was unable to leave her 
bed on the day of the funeral. Only a 
few old neighbors, some of whom were 
bitterly opposed to the part Major Parr 
had taken in the war, followed the re- 
mains to their last resting place . Parson 
Watts conducted the services and paid 
a handsome tribute to the character 
of the deceased, which even his ene- 
mies admitted, barring the one mis- 
take that brought on his death, was well 
deserved. He was a splendid type of the 

-H57-H- SIG. 8. 


Ozark Post Office. 


Southern gentleman of the old school, 
and honorable in all his dealings with his 
fellow men. No one questioned this, 
yet the acrimonies growing out of the war 
served to repress much of the expression 
of sympathy which otherwise would have 
been apparent. Uncle Jerry and Aunt 
Martha were unconsolable, and all of 
the former slaves of the family who had 
not left the neighborhood, were in at- 
tendance at the funeral. The burial took 
place in the afternoon. The sun had 
already sunk behind the mountains and 
was tingeing, with his parting rays, the 
summit of the high embankment that rose 
on the opposite side of the Osage, leaving 
the intervening space enveloped in an 
unbroken shade. Flowers and fruits 
were abundant everywhere, and birds 
flitted about and sang in the numerous 
primeval trees which had been spared to 
do guard duty in the humble abode of 
the dead. Others had been laid there 


Ozark Post Office. 


recently, as the many little mounds of 
red earth attested. On some of these 
graves the floral decorations were still 
fresh. Again they had played their lit- 
tle part and were taking their places 
with the dust, which claims kinship with 
all beneath the, sky. 

At the grave Parson Watts made a few 
appropriate remarks. It was evident, 
from his tone that he still believed in the 
righteousness of the Southern cause. He 
belonged to the Methodist Church South, 
which had brought to the sectional con- 
flict its moral and religious support, sanc- 
tioning slavery, and withdrawing all 
communication and allegiance from that 
larger and more influential body of the 
denomination in the North who opposed 
holding man a chattel. By the Southern 
church generally, of whatever denomin- 
ation, the Bible was quoted in defence of 
the institution of slavery. Sermons were 

preached to over- willing ears, and evi- 

-k59h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


dence produced from Holy Writ proving 
its divine origin, which could not be an- 
swered, and never were. Struggling truth 
has ever been opposed by logical argu- 
ment . It operates through the sentiments 
mainly, and succeeds after every human 
effort has been made to crush it. 

Decon Riddle always maintained that 
slavery made bad white men. It tended 
to encourage caste, idleness, dissipation,* 
created a community of fawners, and 
rendered impossible a noble and inde- 
pendent manhood. 

Alice and little Rosa accompanied the 

remains of Major Parr to the cemetery. 

They went in the family carriage with 

Uncle Jerry and Aunt Martha, and before 

leaving the grounds she took occasion to 

visit the grave of her father and lay a 

wreath upon it. Only a plain headboard 

marked the spot, though he had lain there 

three years. Once Alice brought her 

mother to the grave, but as she failed to 

-h^GO-h- 


/ 


I 


Ozark Post Office. 

comprehend anything of its meaning, 
the circumstance only added to her own 
sorrow. 

One unacquainted with the intensity 
of the Southern character, and the 
hatred the people who had been de- 
spoiled of their property bore the North, 
would imagine the great affliction which 
Mrs. Parr had suffered would tend to 
crush her spirit and humble her pride, 
but such was not the case. For a time, 
her health gave way, and she remained 
secluded at her home, but at length she 
was again seen about the place looking 
after her affairs. Nearly every day old 
Unele Jerry would drive her out, and on 
Sundays she would attend chureh. She 
was always accompanied by Alice and 
little Rosa. Robed as she was, in be- 
coming black of the costliest material, 
she was more beautiful than ever . Noth- 
ing can add such a charm to the face of 
a woman as that look of sad resignation 


Ozark Post Office. 

which is born of some great bereavement. 
All are unconsciously drawn toward it, 
and recognize its irresistible power. 
Major Chadwick had called at the house 
quite frequently during Mrs. Parr’s ill- 
ness, to inquire after her health, and at 
last, when she began to receive visitors, 
he was invited in, and made a brief 
stay. He found her as charming in 
manner and conversation as ever though 
less piquant. Her demeanor was more 
subdued, and somewhat saddened, but it 
only lacked occasion to prove that the 
spirit was unbroken. When he offered 
some becoming words of condolence for 
the loss of her husband she thanked 
him, but added, ‘H am aware, better 
than any one else, what I suffer in his 
loss. No one can ever fill his place with 
me. And yet, I shall bear my fate 
without complaint. He died fora cause 
we all love and believe to be right, and' 
his death is sanctified.” 


Ozark Post Office. 


Major Chadwick felt the awkwardness 
of his position. He knew that his uni- 
form proclaimed him the avowed enemy 
of the cause she so revered, and he felt 
that his sympathy as well as all the acts 
of kindness he had bestowed upon her, 
though accepted as a service, were de- 
spised. And yet he admired her all the 
more. When at length he took his de- 
parture, he mounted his horse and rode 
over the village, apparently reviewing 
the troops stationed about the post, but 
his mind was elsewhere. It wandered 
back to the days of the Spartan mothers, 
but found little in common to attract him 
here, for their patriotism often led them to 
sacrifice their beauty and finer womanly 
instincts, while in her later sisters he saw 
all these qualities in perfect harmony. 
Perhaps, he reasoned, this accounts for 
the bravery of the men, and inspires 
them to fight so gallantly for their loved 


ones. 


-h-6344- 


Ozark Post Office. 


While Alice was almost constantly in 
attendance on Mrs. Parr, it was only in 
the position of a servant, or governess 
for little Rosa, and the fact that she was 
of Northern births and the daughter of an 
inmate of the poorhouse, was never lost 
sight of. Still, she never referred to the 
circumstance in conversation when it 
could be avoided. She recognized the 
girl’s superiority to others similarly sit- 
uated, and did everything in her power 
to encourage her, even to sending her to 
school and providing her with a music 
teacher; but all this was done without 
breaking down the social barrier which 
rose between them. As the entire fam- 
iiy, since the death of Major Parr, were 
clad in black, Alice was generally taken 
by those who were not familiar with her 
history, to be Mrs. Parr’s daughter. 
She was in every respect her equal in 
personal appearance and lady-like de- 
portment, and strange to say, they did 


Ozark Post Office. 


not look unlike. Both possessed the 
straight, broad nose which distinguishes 
Grecian art, and were perfect brunettes. 
When some one imagining them to be 
mother and daughter, chanced to men- 
tion their resemblance, Mrs. Parr always 
seemed pleased, as she knew it was equiv- 
alent to saying that she was handsome, 
to be told she resembled Alice. Women 
are generally not averse to compliments, 
and in this respect Mrs. Parr was no ex- 
ception, although she regarded them 
as an evidence of the good judgment of 
her husband, who was ever uppermost 
in her thoughts. His portrait hung over 
the parlor mantel -piece, and every one 
who entered the room was sure to see it. 
It was the face of a high-bred man of 
the Virginia cast of features so common 
throughout the South, and especially 
among the landed proprietors and profes- 
sions. In either case they usually in- 
herited more or less property, and pos- 

-H-65-H- SIG. 9. 


Ozark Post Office. 


sessed the faculty of retaining and in- 
creasing it without much apparent effort. 
In their conduct toward the gentler sex, 
they were noted for their courtesy and 
marked consideration, and as husbands 
they seldom came under the ban of sus- 
picion . 


■H-66-H- 


VII. 

The storm-tossed ship shall 
come at last 

To anchor in the peaceful 
bay, 

But not the sailor whom 
the blast 

Cast to the mercy of the 
spray. 



'TV 'TV'nIV 'TV mV 

^HE war had now been in progress for 
nearly four years, though the only 
evidence of it around Ozark Post Office 
was the ever presence of the military, as 
the raids upon the place had long since 
ceased. The people had become accus- 
tomed to the tatoo, the evening gun, the 
officious guards and the pompous officers 
in their highly decorated uniforms, and 
while all this was very distasteful to many 
they were too wise to give any outward 
evidence of their displeasure. Parson 
Watts modified his sermons to meet the 


Ozark Post Office. 


condition, and never referred to the ex- 
isting conflict, unless to express the 
hope that it might soon cease. Squire 
Jenkins, in his lengthy prayers, was 
equally reticent on this subject, though 
Deacon Riddle lost no opportunity to ex- 
press his patriotism before the congrega- 
tion. Socially they were friends and 
close neighbors and political acrimonies 
were not permitted to come between them. 
Beside, the Deacon having influence with 
the authorities, had often been of service 
to them. He was not a person to harbor 
animosities or dislikes, especially when 
they sprang out of temporary conditions. 
He used to say, when questioned as to 
his opinion of the two factions which at 
the time divided the country, that there 
was a good deal on both sides to be taken 
into consideration, and then he would 
add in his quaint, original way, “I reckon 
if you’d put them in a bag and shake 
them up, and sift them, that they’d come 


Ozark Post Office. 


out about all alike.” Even Mrs. Parr, 
with ail her inborn dislike for the “Yan- 
kees,” as the Northeners were termed 
by the old regime, when referred to by 
themselves, was often moved to smile at 
the Deacon’s apt way of putting things. 

White Indian was often seen in the vil- 
lage, and once had met Alice at Deacon 
Riddle’s house, and described to her the 
terrible scene on the night of her father’s 
death. He told her, in his quiet way, 
how he was present on the occasion, and 
did his best to save her father, but “there 

y 

were too many of them.” Then he ad- 
ded thoughtfully, “there are less of them 
now.” As he said this, his black eyes 
flashed, and Alice gathered their import, 
for she had already heard of his exploits, 
and his fame as a scout was current gos- 
sip. He always wore citizen’s clothes 
and could adapt himself to any disguise. 
Being a native of the settlement he was 
perfect in the current dialect, which, 

■h-6944- 


Ozark Post Office. 


however, he could discard at a moment’s 
notice, and become the cultured man of 
society. In his scouting he was very 
cautious when meeting any one, to wait 
until he had spoken, in order to satisfy 
himself whether he was of Northern or 
Southern birth. On one occasion he sud- 
denly came upon three men on horseback 
whom he at once discovered to be Con- 
federates, when he cried out, “hurrah 
for Jeff Davis, you damned rebels.” 
The salute was returned with vim, and 
White Indian continued, “There’s a lot 
of the boys over there in the corn field, 
and they’ve got some good whisky; come 
over and let’s have a talk. ” Two of the 
men rode in the lead and the other at his 
side. Just before they came to where 
the men were secreted, he requested the 
man next to him to let him look at his 
gun. White Indian examined the wea- 
pon a moment, and then shouting so as 
to attract the attention of his associates. 


Ozark Post Office. 


he covered the two soldiers in the lead 
with his pistol, and quietly remarked, 
“We are Federals; surrender.” The cap- 
tured trio proved to be dangerous guer- 
illas. 

White Indian was on familiar terms 
with the Parr’s, though the animosities 
growing out of the war had caused them 
to sunder all social intercourse for the 
time being. Why he should have taken 
the course he did was a mystery, as he 
certainly belonged to the patrician ele- 
ment. Again, his ancestors, on the one 
hand, had been despoiled of their posses- 
sions by the very flag that he now so vig- 
orously defended. But he was three- 
fourths anglo-saxon, and perhaps this 
accounted for his conduct. Mrs. Parr, 
with all her aversion for the cause he had 
espoused, admired him. Aside from his 
one blemish, as she termed his Union 
proclivities, he was her ideal of a man. 
Brave, handsome, intrepid and self re- 


Ozark Post Office. 


liant, he easily won his way to the hearts 
of the gentler sex. Even Alice was im- 
pressed in his favor during their brief 
meeting. 

Mrs. Gregg’s three years confinement 
at the county house had brought no per- 
ceptible improvement in her mental con- 
dition. In the main, she was quiet and 
tractable, but at times she was subject to 
violent spells and had to be confined. 

Every few weeks Deacon Riddle would 
bring her in his buggy to see Alice, whom 
she seemed to vaguely recognize, though 
she took no interest in. These visits were 
always very affecting, yet Alice felt it 
her duty to be near her as much as pos- 
sible, and her own experience had already 
taught her that many of the duties of life 
are unpleasant. The attentions she gave 
her mother were unappreciated, yet she 
was always repeating them, in the hope 
that a change might come for the better. 


— o 


Ozark Post Office. 


A noticeable feature in the general as- 
pect of affairs at Ozark Post Office was 
the large number of cripples. Some of 
these had belonged to the Union army, 
though most of them were ex- Confeder- 
ates who had managed to get home and 
take the oath of allegiance. On Satur- 
days, when the country people came to 
the village to do their trading and inquire 
for mail, these unfortunates were very 
much in evidence. Young men hobbling 
in and out of buggies and wagons, with 
an arm or a leg missing, or otherwise 
maimed, gave proof of the havoc the war 
had already created. But the spirit of 
braggadocia and pride which character- 
ized this element at the beginning of the 
conflict was gone. The flags which they 
proudly bore, and the uniforms that pro- 
claimed their defiance of the government 
were things of the past. The storm had 
spent its fury and now came the calm. 
The struggle for existence was renewed 

o o 

SIG. 10. 


on the 


old 


ba 


cf 


and 


the 


ri a id rules of 


economy imposed by poverty and debt, 
served as the la,st feather to crush any 
outward sectional distinction that might 
still exist. Blue became the common 
wear, and the cast-off clothing of the 
Union troops did civilian service, among 
all but the wealth v, until the stock was 
exhausted. But beneath all this, there 
was still smouldering much of the old 
spirit of hatred . Many of the Confeder- 
ates were not, and probably never will be 
fully satisfied that they had been squarely 
beaten, and they were slow to admit their 
error and assimilate with the Unionists. 
They stood aloof, drew the line, and 
voted as one man, and from the ashes 
of the conquered rose the solid South. 
The only ones that really harmonized 
were the unfortunate tramps from the 
two armies that had already begun to 
swarm about the country. 




Ozark Post Office. 


Ozark Post Office had its full share of 
these, and it was said that the first olive 
.branch of peace of which the village has 
any record, was laid upon a beer table 
in Taggard’s saloon the day two maimed 
soldiers, under the pressure of penury, 
sat and talked over their battles, and 
agreed to forget the past. Ozark Post 
Office was emerging, but the process was 
tedious. 

Deacon Riddle’s inexhaustible flow of 
humor did much to soften the asperities 
the sectional strife had engendered. One 
day when a number of persons were dis- 
cussing issues that he held to be closed, 
and his opinion was asked in regard to 
them, he answered, “I’ve quit studying 
much about the past. It’s the dinner 
that’s to be provided for to-morrow that’s 
engaging the attention of this intellect 
just now. ” Again, on meeting a worthy 
young man of his acquaintance who was 
under the influence of liquor, he laid his 


Ozark Post Office. 


hand upon his young friend’s shoulder, 
and remarked, in all seriousness, ‘‘A 
spree, Charley, can be opened up on a 
very small capital, but there isn’t money 
enough in the country to put it upon a 
paying basis . ’ ’ The Deacon was a con - 
stant source of annoyance to Parson 
Watts, who detested humor, although 
apart from this one failing, as the Parson 
called the Deacon’s propensity for say- 
ing odd things, they were on the best of 
terms. At prayer meeting one evening, 
the Parson had, in his remarks, enlarged 
considerably on what he termed the 
‘ ‘drift of things. ” Deacon Riddle lis- 
tened to the discourse with his usual at- 
tention, and when the divine, as was his 
custom, came to the office next day for 
his mail, he greeted him good naturedly, 
and said, *T liked your remarks last 
night very much, but to my mind the 
most dangerous tendency of the age is, 
the falling off in the circulation of pump- 

-H-76-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


kin pie. It has long been apparent to 
me that the average American freeman, 
especially in this neighborhood, is not 
getting as much of this native product as 
the framers of the Constitution intended 
he should have. What you want co do, 
Parson, is to set the women straighten 
this point. 




VIII. 


After the storm then comes the 
calm , 

After the night the 
dav; 

After the strife the warrior's 
palm^ 

And then the peaceful 
sway. 


^^^OCIALLY, Ozark Post Office was in 
a chaotic state. The old regime 
maintained its exclusive attitude; the 
new comers, those who had followed the 
wake of the army for the purpose of en- 
gaging in trade, and who were already 
quite numerous, made up a set of their 
own, or afhliaced with the troops, to 
whom they were largely indebted for 
their patronage. The population had 
grown to two thousand, and Ozark Post 
Office was enjoying a period of ‘‘flush 
times. ” The old local paper, which had 
advocated secession, had taken occasion 

78h 


Ozark Post Office. 


to carry its views into practice at the ap- 
proach of the Union forces, and moved 
South, but a new organ, fully in sympa- 
thy with the progressive spirit of the 
times, had been established and was 
known as the Clarion. The editor was a 
tall, slender man of thirty - fi ve, ' by the 
name of J. Hobson Webber. He was of 
a literary turn, and wore the traditional 
long, unkempt locks, and threadbare 
Prince Albert coat.' He also carried on 
his person a pair of eye-glasses, which 
he wore on public occasions, but never 
when at work, a circumstance which gave 
rise to some comment, though the mys- 
tery was never cleared up, and the vil- 
lage finally came to regard the glasses as 
a necessary adjunct to his profession. 
In addition to being a poet of repute in 
the neighborhood, Mr. Webber was also 
famous as a humorist, and his jokes and 
witticisms served as a fruitful theme for 
discussion between the reports of battles, 

-k79-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


which, of course, always overshadowed 
everything else for the time being. Web- 
ber was so well aware of this fact, that 
whenever he was obliged to publish a 
piece of startling news, he would reluct- 
antly withdraw his own effusions from 
the issue and hold them over for a more 
opportune occasion. He used to say 
that he didn’t care to be ‘ ^covered up,” 
as the showmen term it when the opposi- 
tion puts up more paper on the boards 
than themselves. 

Deacon Riddle, who was a warm per- 
sonal friend of Webber’s, noticing these 
omissions in two issues of the Clarion, 
called at the office one day and made in- 
quiry as to the cause of the discrepancy. 
Webber explained, and then added, as- 
suming a profound look, which seemed 
to hint, ‘ Hhere are more of these goods 
in stock if you desire them.” The world. 
Deacon, is profoundly moved by over- 
shadowing events . Be careful not to die 

♦♦ 80 -h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


on the same day that some greater man 
dies if you desire your funeral to attract 
much attention. 

The only time that Deacon Riddle ever 
seemed to be really offended at Webber 
was during his second canvass for post- 
master. In addition to securing the sig- 
natures of all the prominent persons of 
the village to his petition, he had reques- 
ted Webber to exert the influence of the 
press in his behalf, which he cheerfully 
agreed to do. For a time everything went 
on satisfactorily, but one day the Deacon 
came into the office of the Clarion in a 
very excited frame of mind, bearing in 
his hand the latest number of the Jour- 
nal, and approaching the editor, re- 
marked, ‘ ‘What kind of a paper do you 
call this, anyhow?” pointing with the 
index finger of his right hand to a para- 
graph; “here I am spoken of in the most 
complimentary terms, and on the oppo- 
site side of the sheet the party to which I 

♦♦-Sl-H- SIG, 11. 


Ozark Post Office. 


have the honor to belong is denounced 
most unmercifully. Besides.” he con- 
tinued, in the same spirit of adverse crit- 
icism, ‘‘I notice similar discrepancies in 
regard to political matters. Here you 
are Republican and advocate a high pro- 
tective tariff, and in another place, Dem- 
ocratic, and advocate free trade.” 

% 

For a time Webber was perplexed, then 
he said, after a moment’s reflection, ‘ H 
think I see through it all ; wait a minute . ’ ’ 
He disappeared and presently returned. 
“This explains it all,” he said, as he 
proceeded to spread out a copy of a Dem- 
ocratic sheet published in an adjoining 
town, “we have got the wrong bundle 
of paper from the St. Louis office; you 
see, we only print half of it here.” 

‘ Ht beats anything I ever heard of , ” 
growled the Deacon , as he turned to leave 
the office. 

“It does, for a fact. Deacon,’” said 
Webber, and then, breaking into a laugh, 

-H-82-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


he continued, ^ guess it’s the first time 
that one set of principles were ever backed 
by another. ” 

Squire Jenkins and Webber were not 
on good terms politically, yet they never 
engaged in controversy. The Squire 
was well advanced in years, and his 
conservative training counseled self sup- 
pression. He took the paper, and gave 
it what advertising he was obliged to — 
mostly legal — such as deeds of trust and 
sales, and received with the rest his share 
of local notices, for the editor had a nose 
for news, and was always on the look out 
for items. Even when Major Parr was 
brought home for burial, he laid aside 
sectional and political prejudices, and 
published an editorial condoling with the 
family. His income was meager, but 
he drew consolation from the fact that he 
was of some consequence in the village 
and a factor in all that went to the making 
of what is best in life. Another quality 

-H-83-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


possessed in common with his craft, was 
his love of appreciation. This was more 
to Webber than money, of which he was 
always short. Not unfrequently, when 
his weekly bundle would arrive from the 
“patent outside office” in St. Louis, he 
would be obliged to borrow the amount 
due on it from Deacon Riddle. On one 
occasion, when greatly depressed, he 
called on the Deacon and explained the 
difficulty he found in making ends meet, 
when the Deacon slapped him on the 
shoulder and said, in his good natured, 
cheerful way, ‘"keep going, my friend. 
I have always noticed that a mired team 
will pull through a place it couldn’t back 
out of. ” 

Webber’s desire to occupy a conspicu- 
ous position in the eyes of the people, 
prompted him to make sacrifices out of 
all proportion to results possible of at- 
tainment in his limited field of action. 
This characteristic, hov/ever, is common 

■H-84-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


to many very useful people, and is met 
within all departments of human activity. 
Besides events of the past clearly prove 
that the improbable sometimes combes to 
pass and nothing is attained without ef- 
fort. Webber was a believer in this kind 
of logic . He evinced the same spirit and 
energy in conducting his country weekly 
that he would have done had he been at 
the head of a great metropolitan daily. 
He seemed to imagine himself called to 
the work he had undertaken and brought 
to his task an enthusiasm and honesty of 
purpose which merited success. He ad- 
vocated numerous town improvements, 
established literary societies, and de- 
nounced corruption, even at the cost of 
losing patronage. One day Webber was 
accosted by the keeper of a saloon who 
expressed his views very pointedly con- 
cerning churches and morally inclined 
people generally, when the editor calmly 
replied, “My dear sir, did it ever occur 

■H-85-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


to you that these influences to which you 
so strenuously object are protecting you 
at this very moment? Remove them, and 
these same people, whom possibly you 
imagine to be your friends, would destroy 
both themselves and you in short order. 
You kindle and feed passion which you 
are unable to control, but which the law, 
the very essence of all that is moral and 
just, can, and does.” 

Webber was of the imaginative, imprac- 
ticable class. He was given to writing 
impossible love stories, both in prose and 
verse, which many of his uncultured 
readers thought to be of unusual merit, 
though Deacon Riddle, who was shrewd 
and practical, and well informed, often 
ridiculed the editor for occupying valu- 
able time with such vague fancies. 

^ ‘Why, all great works in art, ” replied 
Webber, “are imaginative. ” 

The Deacon was silent for a moment, 
as if collecting his thoughts, and then 

-H-86-H. 


Ozark Post Office. 


broke out in his droll way, “Well, I 
reckon, young man, that your imagina- 
tion is all well enough when it comes to 
writing poetry and novels, but when I 
want to know just how peaches and cream 
tasted last year, I call for a dish of the 
current crop. ” 


■H-87-H- 


IX 


Full many a lovelorn sv/ain 
shall seek 

The shrine of the maiden 
fair, 

But the qeeenly brow and 
damask cheek 

Shall be pressed by lips 
elsewhere. 



T the Parr mansion things went on as 


usual. An addition had been made 


to the household by the introduction of a 
young lady from Boston, whose duty it 
was to instruct Rosa and Alice in music. 
She had been recommended by Major 
Chadwick on account of her superior 
merit, and was known as Miss Agnes 
Parks. Mrs. Parr, herself, had been 
partially educated in Boston. The South- 
ern women, with all their refinement and 
elegance of manner, which was the re- 
sult of generations of wealth and freedom 





Ozark Post Office. 


from toil, were always dependent upon 
their Northern sisters for their train- 
ing. They regarded all this, however, 
as something that could be bought and 
paid for, and it carried with it little more 
obligation than any other business trans- 
action. 

‘‘Boston, ” Deacon Riddle remarked to 
Mrs. Parr one day, after being introduced 
to Miss Parks, sends us her ethics in ex- 
change for our corn and bacon; brain 
culture for our agriculture . She plays 
well,” he went on after she had left the 
room. 

“Very well, indeed,” rejoined Mrs. 
Parr, with enthusiasm; “she is a fine 
performer.” 

‘‘Well, Mrs. Parr,” said the Deacon, 
“I admire music generally, and don’t 
object to the piano, but as far as my ex- 
perience goes, the women that have the 
strongest hold on their husband’s affec- 
tions don’t do their best work on that 

SIG. 12. 


Ozark Post Office. 


instrument. You had better teach Alice 
something more substantial.” 

“Oh, she never could work,” rejoined 
Mrs. Parr, ‘ ‘besides she could do better 
teaching, and she’ll be very capable. ’ ’ 
At this juncture. Major Chadwick was 
announced, and the Deacon withdrew. 
The Major had called, as was his custom, 
every few days, to pay his respects to 
Mrs. Parr, and inquire if he “could be 
of any service to her. ” 

‘‘You might mail this letter, if you 
please,” she said in her most agreeable 
manner, “as I wish it to go out this eve- 
ning. ” 

He received the missive as if it might 
be a priceless treasure entrusted to his 
keeping, and placing it gently in his side 
pocket, assured her it would be attended 
to. 

‘ ‘And what’s the news?” she inquired, 
assuming an expression which seemed to 
say, “nothing can be good,” and which 

•H-90-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


he felt, became her better than her more 
cheerful moods. 

^ ‘Nothing later than published in the 
morning papers,” he rejoined, “and I 
imagine you have read them.’ ’ 

“No,” she said, “I have not read 
them ; hardly ever do ; they contain little 
that is encouraging to me or mine. ” She 
lifted her eyes to Major Parr’s picture, 
and noticing her action, Major Chadwick 
was prompted to gaze in the same direc- 
tion. “I was only thinking,” she re- 
sumed presently, recalling herself ; “do 
not think me rude, but you know I live 
much in the past. The real live, active 
world is little to me. I turn from it to 
feed upon a memory. ’ ’ 

Major Chadwick lowered his eyes and 
remained silent, but his mind was busy. 
He was a gentleman and a patriot, and 
loved the flag under which he served, but 
in spite of himself felt his manhood slip- 
pling from him in the presence of this 


Ozark Post Office. 


woman. He realized for the second time 
the awkwardness of his position and re- 
solved never to enter the house again. 
He feared his presence was a constant 
menace to her peace of mind. He rose 
to leave, but. she requested him to not 
hasten, as it was yet early in the after- 
noon . Her tone and look somewhat soft- 
ened now, amounting to a command, 
and he resumed his seat. From that on 
the conversation became spirited, the 
past seemed to have been forgotten, and 
they lived in the golden present. The 
spell for, the moment was broken, and 
forgetful of . self, she became, uncon- 
sciously, the irresistible, refined. woman 
that had enslaved him from the very first. 
She tapped a bell and Aunt Martha en- 
tered the room. “Aunty, you can bring 
the Major some wine,” she said, glanc- 
ing at the. old servant; “it will serve to 
revive his spirits. ” 




Ozark Post Office. 


When the wine was placed upon the 
table, she daintily filled a glass and hand- 
ing it to him said, “Excuse me. Major, 
but I never indulge in the luxury, and if 
I did, it wouldn’t be proper for me to 
drink with a Yankee.” She laughed, 
and looked so charming that he was at a 
loss to determine whether the whole pro- 
ceeding was intended as a compliment or 
a rebuke. He took the cheerful view, 
however, and felt his manhood return- 
ing. Miss Parks, Alice and Rosa, who had 
been enjoying themselves roaming about 
the place for an hour, returned looking 
as fresh and beautiful as the flowers they 
bore in their hands, for it was in June, 
and everything v/as in bloom . 

The Major complimented the young 
people on their personal appearance, 
and remarked that he must be going. 
When he was in the act of leaving, Mrs. 
Parr called to Miss Parks, who was sea- 
ted at the piano, “Play something for the 


Ozark Post Office. 


Major, Agnes; give him my favorite.” 
He paused to catch the air, out of com- 
pliment to the lady of the house, but 
when she struck up “I wish I was in dix- 
ie,” he laughed, and remarked, guess 
I’m in the wrong camp. ” 

It was fully half a mile from the Parr 
mansion, which was just outside of the 
village, to the camp where the Major had 
his headquarters, and as he rode leis- 
urely, he revolved in his mind the inci- 
dents of the afternoon. 

“She is a puzzle, anyhow,” bemused, 
‘‘and I don’t understand her, but per- 
haps women are never understood, and 
I certainly prefer her society to all oth- 
ers.” When he considered how foolish 
it was for him to waste his time upon a 
woman that from her own confession had 
no heart to bestow on any one, he men- 
tally resolved to see her no more. 

In returning to camp he had taken a 
circuitous route in order to breathe the 


Ozark Post Office. 


fresh air, and by the time he reached the 
business part of the place, and dismoun- 
ted for the purpose of mailing her letter, 
he saw her carriage approaching. In a 
moment his resolution was gone, and he 
stood waiting until tho convevance came 
up, when she alighted and entered the 
post office. On recognizing him she said 
apologetically, ‘‘I did not intend to go 
out to-day. Major, but Miss Parks de- 
sired to do some shopping, and so we 
concluded to take a short drive.” He 
had removed the letter from his pocket 
and held it in his hand ready to drop it 
into the box. Noticing the act, she said, 
“here is another, if you please.’’ He 
took the letter and mailed the two, as- 
sisted her to the carriage, and bowed to 
Miss Parks, Alice and Rosa. Uncle 
Jerry was driving and had the team un- 
dergood control. “By the by,” she said, 
as Major Chadwick was about to depart, 
*‘You spoke to-day of some news that 

4 ^ 954 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


was in the morning papers, and Pm anx- 
ious to know what it was. ” 

‘ ‘ Oh, I had reference , ” he said, draw- 
ing near and speaking in low tones, “to 
the appointment of General Grant to the 
supreme command of the army, and or- 
dering him East to oppose Lee.” 

Her vivacity was gone in an instant, 
and her features assumed an expression 
of sadness. He felt that he hade made 
a blunder, and was about to apologize, 
when she inclined her head, and said, 
“good evening, Major. ” She then gave 
Uncle Jerry her instructions and they 
went on their way. 

Then he watched Mrs. Parr until she 
disappeared from view, when he mused, 
“It seems impossible for me to do any- 
thing that will please her, but her moods 
are delightful. ” 




X. 

Our flag shall wave as it 
waved before, 

And none shall its power 
defy; 

The welkin ring with the grand 
encore 

For the cause that cannot 
die. 

•n\ 'TS -TV -nv. 

AJOR CHADWICK was a bachelor 
and under forty-five. By profes- 
sion he was a lawyer. At the breaking 
out of the war he was in possession of a 
profitable business in Boston, his native 
city, but on the first call for troops he 
closed his office, enlisted a company of 
infantry in the volunteer service, and was 
elected their Captain. When Fremont 
was placed in command of the Depart- 
ment of Missouri, his company was or- 
dered to St. Louis, and later on, he was 
made post commander at Ozark Post 

-h-97-h^ sig. 13. 



Ozark Post Office. 


Office. He was a tall, well built luan^ 
with dark hair and eyes and wore a mous- 
tache and goatee, after the military fash- 
ion of the time. His manner was quiet 
and unassuming, and in personal appear- 
ance he was prepossessing. His service 
consisted of some guerilla fighting and 
in the direction of a number of scouts, 
whose mission was to scour the country 
and keep the authorities at St. Louis in- 
formed in regard to the movements of 
the enemy. Among the principal battles 
in which he took part was Wilson’s Creek, 
where General Lyons lost his life. For 
his gallant conduct on that occasion he 
was bre vetted Major. 

Missouri, by this time, was well rid of 
both armies, and as there was but very 
little activity in military circles, things 
about the post began to drag. The prin- 
cipal employment of the troops was that 
of bringing in illicit distillers and enfor- 
cing the revenue tax. Reconstruction 


Ozark Post Office. 


of the social system was already at work, 
but it made but little progress. The peo- 
ple, while they were law abiding and re- 
spectful to each other, would not frater- 
nize. The Clarion was active in trying 
to bring about harmony and build up the 
village, which, according to Webber^ s 
views, was destined to become a great 
trade center. Now and then he would 
be moved to say, though he was not given 
to vindictive writing, that a few first class 
funerals would be a good thing for the 
village, yet he would have been the last 
man to select a victim for the sacrifice. 
True, those who stood in the way of prog- 
ress, and who usually stand in the way 
of it, were the property holders. This 
class would not, willingly, expend their 
money for the benefit of others, and 
furthermore, they could not see the ne- 
cessity for reform. The roads were poor, 
and in the winter season almost impas- 
sable, but they had been used to this 


Ozark Post Office. 


since time immemorial, and could wait 
until these natural conditions were re- 
versed by natural causes. 

Deacon Riddle, in this respect, was a 
good deal like the rest. When urged one 
day by Webber to use his influence with 
the authorities to have the main street of 
the village repaired, he said, “I don’t 
like to make myself conspicuous in such 
matters. I have always enjoyed the rep- 
utation of being a good fellow and easily 
pleased;” then, as an afterthought, he 
- went on, “and I guess that’s the reason 
why I’m still wearing a cotton suit at all 
wool prices. ” 

‘ ‘That’s just it. Deacon, ’ ’ remarked 
the editor. 

Military operations in the West and 
South being pretty well wound up, all 
eyes were now directed to Virginia where 
Grant was facing Lee. 

Mrs. Parr was naturally much inter- 
ested in this campaign, as her son was 


Ozark Post Office. 


an active participant in it. She learned 
daily from the papers that the slaughter 
was great, but as the names of the fallen 
on the Southern side were not to be ob- 
tained, she was ignorant as to Walter’s 
fate. This uncertainty worried her very 
much, yet she gave no outward evidence 
of it except to express, when the occasion 
arose, a more intense dislike for the Yan- 
kees, and the cause they represented. 
Major Chadwick, aware of her solicitude, 
ceased to call, feeling that his presence 
would suggest unpleasant thoughts, for, 
however friendly they might be socially, 
the higher instinct of honor proclaimed 
them enemies. He passed her several 
times when out driving, during the pe- 
riod of the fierce battles in the Wilder- 
ness, lifted his hat and went on his way. 
At last, when news came of the surren- 
der, and word was received of her son’s 
safety, he ventured to visit her again. 
He wished to be one of the first to con- 


Ozark Post Office. 


gratulate her on her good fortune, and 
so expressed himself, and yet he noticed 
she received him coldly. ‘ ^Yes, ’ ' she 
said, after hearing him through, ^‘my 
son is saved, but the cause is lost. Fate 
is against us, yet, could I reverse it by 
the sacrifice of my boy, I would cheer- 
fully part with him. ” 

The silence that followed became them 
both. At length Major Chadwick sug- 
gested, ‘‘At least, Mrs. Parr, all is over 
now, and it becomes all patriotic citizens 
to put aside the past and look to the fu- 
ture. 

“Future,” she repeated, looking sadly 
at the picture of her late husband, “what 
future have I? Realities have become 
shadows. I can only sit and think of 
what I was and might be, had it not been 
for this cruel and unjust war.” 

Major Chadwick felt the thrust and 
dropped his head significantly. “You 
have your children to live for,” he ob- 

♦♦-102-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 

served presently, ‘‘and I trust many 
years of usefulness yet before you.” 

She laid her hand upon the arm of her 
rocking chair and gazed vaguely about 
the room as if to collect her thoughts, 
when she caught the strains of a familiar 
tune issuing from the piano in the parlor, 
separated from the library, in which they 
were seated, by a wide hall. It was 
Alice, playing her favorite, ‘‘Nearer, 
my God, to Thee.” Miss Parks and lit- 
tle Rosa occupied the sofa near by. Du- 
ring the playing Mrs. Parr leaned her 
face upon her hand and gazed upon the 
carpet. Her face wore the sad’ expres- 
sion which had so often attracted him be- 
fore, and he was drawn towards her with 
a sympathy which he felt it difficult to 
restrain. Yet, he knew that he was pow- 
erless to comfort her, and that any ad- 
vances in this direction would ha,ve been 
an insult. With a woman’s instinct she 
saw he suffered, but her pride sealed 

4^103-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


her lips and she seemed to take real com- 
fort from his pain. 

The revelation was not novel to Major 
Chadwick, and yet it was none the less 
to be regretted . Many a time before his 
hopes had been crushed, and as often 
revived. He realized that he was but 
clay in her hands. Still, to be able to 
afford her even a moment’s pastime was 
a pleasure he cheerfully courted. With 
a feeling of utter despair he rose to go. 
She looked at the clock and assured him 
it was not late ; he was not accustomed 
to leaving so soon . Her eyes brightened 
and seemed to express a wish — or was it 
sarcasm? He was at a loss to decide. 
At all events he resumed his seat. ‘ Ht 
was very kind of you to call,” she went 
on, resuming her most charming manner, 
‘^and really, I don’t know, Major, how 
I shall get along without you, now that 
the war is over, and of course, you will 
return home.” 




Ozark Post Office. 


He was not sure that she was sincere, 
yet he grasped at the straw and saw one 
chance for life. He took it cheerfully. 
‘ ‘Oh, I trust we shall not be altogether 
strangers in the future,” he ventured. 
‘ ‘My sojourn here has been very pleas- 
ant, and I have become much attached 
to the place and the people. I come, I 
must acknowledge, Mrs. Parr, to con- 
quer, but I fear it will all result in me, 
myself, being made a prisoner.” 

It was the first bit of banter he had 
ever attempted, and he watched her face 
closely to see its effect. Her long, black 
lashes drooped, and she grew thought- 
ful. He felt rebuked, and regretted his 
words, but not knowing what to say, he 
kept silent. Presently she turned towards 
him and said, “I had formed a very poor 
opinion of the Northern soldiers. Major, 
but I’ve somewhat modified my views 
since I come to know you. You have 
shown me many courtesies not necessa- 

SIG. 14. 


Ozark Post Office. 


rily due me from your position, and I 
assure you your thoughtfulness is very 
much appreciated. In your new field of 
action you will bear with you my best 
wishes for your future happiness. ” 
There was nothing in her tone sugges- 
tive of emotion; on the contrary, her de- 
meanor was severely reserved and ap- 
peared to him to be final. Still he did 
not accept it as such. He clung to the 
hope that in Icve, as in other affairs of 
life, there is always a possibility, how- 
ever remote, that some one may succeed 
where others have failed, and he would 
not despair of winning her heart. When 
at last he took his departure, she saw him 
to the door and they stood for a few mo- 
ments gazing about upon the pleasant 
scene. Then he lifted his hat and said, 
‘^goodbye.” ‘‘No, not that. Major,” 
she rejoined, in her most charming man- 
ner, but ‘‘aurevoir.” 


-H- 106 -H- 


XI. 


The clash and clamor of war 
has passed, 

And silent again, the bugle’s 
call; 

But he sleeps well, and his 
sleep shall last, 

And his sword shall rust upon 
the wall. 

CM T last all evidence of hostilities had 
departed from Ozark Post Office. 
Relics of the conflict, however, remained 
to remind all of the ordeal through which 
the country had passed. The internal 
revenue law, in all its manifold ramifica- 
tions, had come to stay. Everything 
was taxed and licensed, and a vigilance 
was exercised in enforcing the law that 
proved very distasteful to the community 
and went far to convince the people that 
the war had been one of conquest, and 
they were now reaping its baleful results. 

■m-1074-^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


The mountaineers, accustomed tc car- 
rying on their various pursuits without 
molestation, objected strenuously to the 
scrutiny of the revenue officers, whose 
vigilance often led to bloodshed. Zeb 
Posey, who had rendered invaluable ser- 
vices to the government as a scout, was 
one of the first to be brought in for eva- 
ding the law. Following the example set 
by many others, Posey always distilled 
his own whisky, and even while in the 
service, managed to keep a supply on 
hand, and was careful, when on his trips, 
not to get too far av/ay from his base of 
supplies. The first time that Zeb was 
arrested. Major Chadwick had not yet 
left the post, and the old scout appealed 
to his superior officer to be released. 
The Major heard what he had to say and 
then turning to his captor asked of him 
what evidence he had of Posey’s guilt? 
‘ ‘He has a bottle of the stuff now in his 
pocket,” returned the officer. 




f 



Ozark Post Office. 

‘ ‘ Let me see it, ’ ’ said the Major, ad- 
dressing the prisoner. Posey complied 
with the request, when the Major poured 
a quantity of the liquor into a glass and 
drank it with the air of a connossieur, as 
if to test the quality. When he had fin- 
ished he turned to Posey, and said , “Did 
you make that whisky?” 

“Yes, sir,” was the answer. 

“Then why do you refuse to pay the 
tax on it?” 

“I don’t make it to sell, sir, and I 
don’t think I ought to tax myself for my 
own work. ” 

“But it’s the law, and you must com- 
ply with it. ” 

Posey seemed greatly perplexed, but 
the Major came to his relief, and said, 

‘ ‘Well, Zeb, I’ll let you off this time, but 
you must be careful hereafter, for I will 
not be here to intercede for you if you 
get into trouble . ’ ’ 


-H-109-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


$ 

After the troops left business fell off, 
and there was a general complaint of dull 
times. The Clarion noticed this editori- 
ally, and Webber called at the post office 
one day to discuss matters with his friend 
Riddle. He said he feared he’d lose 
what little commercial standing he had 
in the community if things did not soon 
change for the better. The Deacon cast 
upon the editor a benevolent look, and 
placing his large hands upon his thighs, 
said, ‘‘keep your trace chains stretched, 
young man, and the world won’t notice 
what you are loaded with, but if you 
once strike the down grade, and com- 
mence to hold back, everybody will want 
to see what you’ve got in your wagon.” 

Webber saw the point and went back 
to his work determined to hold out if pos- 
sible. His humor, however, grew to be 
less spontaneous, and his witticisms were 
not always shorn of their sting. He ev- 
idently began to realize that his efforts 


Ozark Post Office. 


in behalf of the village were not appreci- 
ated, or at least were not rewarded as he 
felt they should be. His Prince Albert 
coat, which had long shown the effects 
of constant wear, became so slick that, 
moved one day by the instinct of the true 
humorist, he referred to himself in a par- 
agraph in his paper, as ‘‘a shining ex- 
ample of rural journalism. ” 

Webber’s pride at last gave way, and 
he finally donned, with the rest, the cast 
off blue overcoat, which combined, he 
was wont to say, when referring to the 
circumstances which compelled him to 
lay aside all pretence as to dress, “Pa- 
triotism, comfort and economy. ” 

Webber’s funny stories were nearly all 
drawn from his own experiences. He 
put his own follies and shortcomings into 
print as the acts of others, and imagin- 
ing them to be creations, felt the pangs 
which he had endured under less auspi- 
cious circumstances, vanish amidst the 


Ozark Post Office. 


la,ug*hter they had been instrumental in 
evolving. This faculty is possessed in 
common by the true humorist. He never 
gets quite rid of the cap and bells. He 
always pities himself and does his own 
weeping. 

Capt. Leavenworth returned to Ozark 
Post Office at the close of the war. He 
was the last survivor, as far as known, 
of those who took an active part in the 
shooting of John Gregg. White Indian, 
or Captain Braithwait, as he was always 
called, met him a few days after his ar- 
rival home. Others were present when 
they came together, and it was thought 
there would be trouble, but the Captain, 
after gazing at the one armed soldier for 
a moment, and noticing his empty sleeve, 
quietly remarked, ^‘Captain, I reckon 
you have suffered enough; let bygones 
be bygones. ” 

Squire Jenkins’ connection with the 

Gregg episode ceased at the court-house. 

^ 112 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


He did not go with the others to the young 
lawyer’s office. His conservative in- 
stincts taught him caution, and warned 
him that extreme measures might be re- 
sorted to, and he never engaged in these 
from principle . Acquisitiveness was his 
dominating faculty, and all others were 
subordinated to it. He was not of the 
robust type of manhood. In personal 
appearance ho was tall, angular and very 
slim. His features proclaimed his Vir- 
ginia origin in the breadth of the lower 
part of the face and the well developed 
chin. At a glance one would pronounce 
him a man that was accustomed to hand- 
ling property, and expert in all the mi- 
nor details which serve to make up the 
trustworthy financier. But, as Webber 
was more than once heard to say, he 
was ^ ^not a person to be approached for 
a .srnall loan unless one was prepared to 
attach a mortgage to it.” The Squire 
owned about half of the village, and had 

-h-113^ SIG. 15. 


Ozark Post Office. 


profited greatly by the boom that followed 
the advent of the troops, yet he would 
not admit it. Webber owed him several 
months rent for his office, and was con- 
tinually puffing him in the Clarion, in 
palliation of the offence, but the Squire 
kept up his vigorous dunning, in the face 
of all personal compliments. The editor 
was not vindictive, yet, when the ' ‘first 
class funerals” hinted at in the interest 
of Ozark Post Office rose in his mind, he 
always associated Squire Jenkins with 
the procession. 

Deacon Riddle, though a good friend 
of the Squire’s, when displeased with his 
narrow-mindedness on certain occasions, 
was wont to refer to him as a “seedling,” 
that species of fruit which springs from 
planting the seed, and is lacking in all 
the luscious qualities that distinguishes 
the product of the engrafted and cultiva- 
ted tree. In the church he was a power 
and gave liberally to its support. Here 


Ozark Post Office. 


ag*ain, his feminine qualities asserted 
themselves. He loved the order and 
quiet atmosphere which usually pervades 
the sanctuary. Moreover, the straight 
and narrow path fitted his organism and 
his training. He possessed little con- 
ception of innovation, and distrusted all 
who approached him with anything new. 
Even his religion was of the old style, 
and it was said that he had Parson Watts 
retained because he never read anything 
but the Bible or listened to a religious 
discussion. They were both about sixty 
years of age, and were drawn together 
by bonds of sympathy which emphasized 
their faith in the common brotherhood of 
the church. And strange to say, that 
while they were always in the minority, 
yet they were always in power. Their 
steadfastness of purpose and unques- 
tioned probity never failed to carry them 
through emergencies. Such men are not 
popular. They are like the snow that is 


Ozark Post Office. 


ever present on the mountain peak. The 
sun’s rays beat upon it without apparent 
effect, yet underneath the frosty exterior 
comes trickling down the welcome mois- 
ture that nourishes the tender flower, and 
moving onward keeps alive the stream 
that turns the mighty wheels of comx- 
merce. The real, underlying forces of 
life partake of this nature. 

Before taking his departure. Major 
Chadwick paid a parting visit to Mrs. 
Parr, though their attitude towards each 
other underwent no change. He spoke 
of the possibility of their not meeting 
again, when, instead of assuming the 
sad expression he imagined befitting the 
occasion, and which he so much admired, 
she broke into her happiest mood, and 
treated the matter with the greatest lev- 
ity. ‘‘Why, Major, ” she said, ‘‘you 
musn’t say that; seas will not divide us, 
and if they did, ” here she paused, as if 
to give him the opportunity to fill out the 

•h- 116 ^ 


Ozark Post O.ffice 


sentence, but he was too much bewildered 
to make the attempt. ‘‘You are always 
doing the unexpected,” he said inwardly. 
Recovering from his embarrassment, he 
ventured, ‘‘Should you visit Boston I 
trust you will send me your card. I shall 
be delighted to call.’’ 

‘ ‘Bye the bye, Major, while I think of 
it,” she interrupted, ‘ ‘I wish you would 
do me a little favor. ’ ’ 

“I am at your service, Mrs. Parr,” he 
rejoined, bowing. 

‘ ‘Thank you,” she said; “I knew you 
would.” He inclined his head again, 
when she want on : 

‘‘I would ask you, if you please, to 
make some inquiry about Alice’s family, 
if the opportunity occurs. She has rel- 
atives, she informs me, in New York 
City, or had when she and her mother 
left there some years ago. The name is 
Gregg. I do not wish to disturb the girl’s 
mind by letting her know that I have de- 

44-117-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


cided on this course, so I wish you to 
write direct to me, if you should gain 
any information on the subject. ’ ’ 

^ ‘I shall give the matter my earliest 
attention, I assure you, Mrs. Parr,” he 
said, at the same time feeling his hopes 
revive as the mission would open up an 
opportunity for him to correspond with 
her. 

He looked at his watch and said, ^‘The 
train leaves in half an hour, and I must 
bid you good by . ’ ’ 

‘^Good by, Major,” she replied, as 
they parted at the door. As he took his 
way down the walk to the gate, he mmr- 
mured to himself, “I rather like the way 
she said it.” 


-H-llS^f 


xn. 


They have done with strife, and 
it is not death 

That confronts them now on the 
fertile plain; 

They have come to inhale the 
harvest’s breath, 

And to gaze on the fields of 
golden grain. 

war was the great iconoclast — the 
blow that struck the shackles from 
the slave also enfranchised the v/hite man 
of the South as well. Up to the very 
hour that the Federal forces took posses- 
sion of Ozark Post Office, neither the 
freedom of the press or of speech were 
tolerated, and never had been. One 
would imagine that under such restric- 
tions there could be little progress, but 
there was progress and development af- 
ter a fashion. Slave labor, throughout 
the entire South, was made available 

-h-119i^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


where white labor was out of the question . 
The fine plantations that face the Missis- 
sippi and lie adjacent to it, were dug out 
of the swamps by the blacks. From the 
pestilential marshes they created that al- 
most continuous garden, which for a cen- 
tury or more, was the wonder of the world. 
The slave felled the giant trees, cut and 
split them into fuel for the steamers, and 
brought his master the gold which served 
to add links to the chain that held him and 
his brothers in slavery . His two hundred 
and fifty years of servitude unquestiona- 
bly placed the South, as far as material 
growth is concerned, centuries in ad- 
vance of what she would have been with- 
out him . This service should entitle him 
and his offspring to share with others an 
equal right to the soil. 

Ozark Post Office, like the rest of the 
South, took no note of this. The slave 
had served his purpose and must shift 
for himself. Without education, training 


Ozark Post Office. 


or any of the qualifieations that could 
contribute to his success, he went forth to 
make the attempt. Many of the able 
bodied men of this class drifted to St. 
Louis, and went on the river as rousta- 
bouts. A number of Mrs. Parr’s freed- 
men were among them. 

It was early in May when Major Chad- 
wick took his departure and midsummer 
was now at hand. He had written one 
letter to Mrs. Parr, but it was only to 
inform her that his military duties still 
confined him to Boston, and he had not 
yet visited New York to perform the mis- 
sion entrusted to him. When the letter 
came she was seated on the front porch, 
in conversation with Mrs. Riddle, who 
had come up to spend the day. She 
glanced over the missive and remarked 
good humoredly, “A letter from my Yan- 
kee friend,” but at once changing the 
subject, went on, casting her eyes down 
the main road that ran past the house : 

♦♦121-h- SIG. 16. 


Ozark Post Office. 


‘‘There comes poor Mrs. Gregg again; 
it seems that they can’t keep her in the 
county house without her escaping every 
few weeks and roaming about the coun- 
try. I’m afraid, as Deacon Riddle has 
remarked, that she will have to be con- 
fined in an asylum.” 

‘ ‘The place would be far more fitting 
for her, ” acquiesced the other, sympa- 
thetically. 

By this time Mrs. Gregg had reached 
the gate, and was gazing abstractedly 
around as if undecided about entering. 
She was a delicate looking woman, about 
thirty-five, and rather poorly dressed. 
Her features were well formed, although 
haggard and lacking in intelligence, and 
yet, on a second glance, there was some- 
thing about her that impressed one favor- 
ably. In the main, her conduct was 
quiet and orderly, though she had a habit 
of talking to herself, as if yielding invol- 
untary expression to some all absorbing 

-h-12244- 


Ozark Post Office. 


subject that had taken permanent pos- 
session of her brain. 

‘‘Alice,” called out Mrs. Parr to the 
young woman, who was now in her sev- 
enteenth year, “here is your mother.” 
She waited till Alice appeared and con- 
tinued, “you had better try and get her to 
rest awhile, and then I will have her ta- 
ken home in the carriage.” 

‘‘Oh, mother,” cried out Alice, as she 
threw her arms about her neck and gave 
her a kiss, “you have been roaming over 
the country again. Why do you do it?” 
Her mother offered no explanation or 
defense. She was evidently mentally 
incapable of giving an intelligent account 
of herself. Besides, exhaustion and ex- 
posure had left their marks upon her frail 
form. She tottered as if about to fall. 

“Come in and rest yourself,” pursued 
Alice, tremulously. 

Entering the house they ascended the 

stairway and soon camie to Aliceas room 

■h-123^4- 


Ozark Post Office. 


on the second floor. Weary as was Mrs. 
Gregg, it was not until after much per- 

ji*- 

suasion that Alice induced her mother to 
lie down. 

For a time she tossed about in a rest- 
less manner, but after partaking of nour- 
ishment became quieter and finally went 
to sleep, and Alice sought seclusion be- 
neath the shade trees in the back yard. 
The ordeal was not new to Alice, though 
its recurrence was all the harder to bear 
since it was plainly to be seen that her 
mother was rapidly failing, and with a 
heart overflowing with fearful forebode - 
ings, she gave herself up to sorrowful 
meditation . 

The day was bright and cheerful; the 
flavor of the new mown hay came from 
the adjacent field, where a quail con- 
cealed amidst the abundant harvest was 
arousing the echoes by its exultant calls. 
Other species of the feathered tribe flit- 
ted about overhead or frolicked upon the 


Ozark Post Office. 


recently shorn sv/ard. A hummingbird 
paused for a moment in its flight, above 
a cluster of rosebushes, which caused 
the chickens to utter a cry of alarm, and 
gaze with averted eyes into space, as if 
to assure themselves of their safety. The 
persistent tapping of a woodcock resoun- 
ded from the forest beyond, mingled with 
the plaintive cry of a lamb that had got 
lost from its maternal companion and was 
making a strenuous effort to find her in 
the grazing flock. Glimpses of the Osage 
river were caught here and there as it 
crept noiselessly through the narrow val- 
ley and disappeared in the mountains be- 
yond. As midday approached and the 
shadows contracted, the drowsy cattle in 
the pasture huddled closer about the 
trunks of the trees, keeping up a vigor- 
ous stamping and an unceasing switch- 
ing of their tails, as if to accelerate their 
own tardy movements. 




Ozark Post Office. 


Alice, in the meantime, having stolen 
to her roomi, and finding her mother still 
sleeping, became calmier. She v/as sit- 
ting upon a rustic bench in the shade, 
expecting every momient that her mother 
would waken , and planning how to get 
her back to the county house before the 
day closed, as she knew she would not 
return of her own accord. On the con- 
trary, she was in the habit of eluding 
the vigilance of her keeper, and wander- 
ing away from her place of abode, some- 
times spending days among the inhabit- 
ants of the mountains before being ap- 
prehended and brought back. In a set- 
tlement where the harmonious current of 
events was rarely disturbed by innova- 
tion, itwms not strange that her personal 
appearance should attract attention. 

Certain proprietors of illicit stills which 
she v/as accustomed to pass in her peri- 
grinations, were at first inclined to look 
upon her with a tinge of suspicion, but 


Ozark Post Office. 


in time, the entire community came to 
regard her as a harmless imbecile. 

‘^It’s only crazy Mrs. Gregg,” they 
were wont to say on seeing her approach , 
‘‘a sarchin’ for her ol’ man.” 

In her more lucid moments she still re- 
tained a vague perception of her own past 
life, and upon the all absorbing subject 
which possessed her enfeebled intellect, 
the memory of her dead husband, she at 
times talked quite coherently. 

It was seldom, however, that she spoke 
so as to be understood. A majority of 
the people familiar with her utterances, 
were accustomed to treat them as the va- 
garies of a diseased brain, though a few 
of the knowing ones bit their lips and 
exchanged glances. 

^‘It’s hard on the widow, ” reflected 
Capt. Leavenworth, one day, on seeing 
Mrs. Gregg pass the field where he was 
engaged, ‘‘butit couldn’t be helped, and 
they say all’s fair in love and war. ” 

4^127-h- 


XIH 


But when he gazed into her 
eyes, 

And caught reflected summer 
skies, 

With all the promise therein 
lies. 

He felt, indeed, to love were 
wise. 


T length, the time having arrived. 


Aunt Martha,, in compliance with 


immemorial usage, went to the pantry, 
and taking from the shelf the old familiar 
conch shell, blew upon it to call the men 
to the midday meal. As the dozen or 
more farm hands came home in response 
to the summons, they were accompanied 
by a young man on horseback, who, after 
dismounting, patted the animal affection- 
ately for a moment and turned her over 
to Uncle Jerry to be cared for. He then 
walked leisurely towards the house, his 
followers, in the meantime, having gone 





■h- 128 ^ 


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to their quarters in the outhouses for- 
merly occupied by the slaves. He was 
apparently twenty-two or three years of 
age, tall and erect, with clean cut fea- 
tures, dark flowing hair, and the hardy 
physical development of one accustomed 
to outdoor life . A carefully trimed mous- 
tache shaded the upper lip, though it 
failed to conceal a firm and expressive 
mouth. As he entered the house he 
greeted Mrs. Parr and Mrs. Riddle in a 
pleasant way, when they all repaired to 
the dining room, the young man going 
directly to the sideboard, and pouring 
from a decanter into a glass a portion of 
its contents, turned towards the ladies, 
and said in respectful tones, ^‘here’s to 
your good health.” 

Mrs. Parr, after seating her guest, took 
her place at the head of the table, when 
Walter Parr, for such it was, and Alice 
and Rosa joined them. Mrs. Riddle, 
with that familiarity pardonable in an 

SIG. 17. 


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old friend, began the conversation: 

^‘You are getting to be quite a man, 
Walter,” she declared, sitting straight 
up and peering at the young man through 
her glasses, with a sidelong glance that 
seemed laden with the weight of author- 
ity, “though not as tall as your father.” 
Any reference to Major Parr was sure 
to arouse unpleasant memories, and Mrs. 
Parr exhibited signs of emotion. Waiter 
Parr’s face suffused slightly at Mrs. Rid- 
dle’s allusion to himself, though he made 
no reply, and presently proceeded as was 
his custom since the death of his father, 
to ask the blessing, his mother insisting 
upon a strict observance of the old time 
forms. 

Mrs. Parr’s method was strikingly ap- 
parent. Everything in the room was 
scrupulously clean and polished, even to 
the decanters and tumblers on the side- 
board, to touch which, except in accord- 
ance with the rule laid down by ancestral 

-h-130^ 


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usage — morning, noon and evening — 
would have been regarded as a serious 
breach of family etiquette. A colored 
servant stood behind Mrs. Parr’s chair 
ready to do her bidding, for nothing was 
undertaken without her direction . Even 
Aunt Martha, who ruled with absolute 
sway in the kitchen, relinquished all au- 
thority when the menu was placed before 
her mistress. 

Alice evidently had been weeping. 
She gave her undivided attention to Rosa, 
anticipating her wants in silence, and 
rarely lifting her eyes. 

As soon as the opportunity occurred — 
for Mrs. Riddle was persistently commu- 
nicative on matters concerning himself, 
Walter turned from her to his little sister, 
vdiom he addressed in a playful manner, 
speaking at the same time a few words 
to Alice, whose unhappy mood seemed 
to annoy him. Having met her mother 
in the public highway early in the day, 

-h-ISIh- ' 


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going toward the house, he suspected 
the cause of Alice’s depression and was 
visibly affected by it. He had taken a 
great liking to Alice from the first time 
they met, and he had now been home 
nearly two months. Immediately after 
dinner Alice returned to her seat beneath 
the trees, where she could keep a watch 
over her mother and be ready to admin- 
ister to her wants as soon as she should 
awaken. Walter Parr joined her after 
a brief interval. They conversed for a 
few moments when he returned with the 
men to the fields. He was in the habit 
of passing a brief period now and again 
in Alice’s company, but as his little sis- 
ter Rosa was supposed by Mrs. Parr to 
be the attraction, she gave the matter no 
thought. Alice, however, with true fem- 
inine instinct, divined the real import of 
his solicitude and became alarmed. In- 
deed, she always felt nervous and un- 
comfortable in his presence, especially 

■h^132-h^ 


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when they were alone, and avoided as 
far as possible such meetings, though 
her timidity served only to stimulate his 
ardor. Once, when a number of his em- 
ployees evinced a disposition to make 
sport of her mother in his presence, he 
gave them such a reprimand that the 
indignity was not repeated . 

‘ ’low ez how he’s kearin’ right smart 
fur her darter,” said one of the moun- 
taineer rustics as soon as Waltar Parr 
had departed. 

‘ ‘Waal, I couldn’t blame him fur that,” 
rejoined another, “ez Alice is a moughty 
purty guyrl, an’ ez sper’ited ez they 
make ’em.” 

‘ ‘They ’low ez how Major Parr wuz a 
cavortin’ roun’ with Capt. Leavenworth 
on the day of that shooting, though he 
wuzn’t thar when they hed the fight,” 
pursued the first speaker, whose boyish 
appearance acquitted him of having ta- 
ken an active part in the encounter. 

-h^133-h- 


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‘ ‘Edzactly,” responded the other. 

‘‘An’ that his wldder tuk Alice to raise 
’cause she felt her conscience fetched 
about the way her father wuz killed.” 

“So I hev hearn. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘An’ wuzn’t it a moughty keowardly 
trick,” continued the inquisitive youth, 
tentatively. 

There was a pause, when the other re- 
marked in a conciliatory tone, ‘ ‘I reckon . 
ez how ’twuzn’t jes on the squar, tho’t 
it couldn’t be help’t. Leastwise, thar 
wuzn’t no keowards thar on that day. 
Naw,” he concluded after another pause, 
“I ’low ye’ll fin’ no keowards in Mis- 
souri. ’ ’ 

The hours dragged and the dreamy 
languor of a summer afternoon pervaded 
the atmosphere. Mrs. Parr and Mrs. 
Riddle dozed, knitted and chatted alter- 
nately, in their easy chairs on the front 
porch. Aunt Martha went leisurely on 
with her routine duties, and Mrs. Gregg 

-H-134-H- 


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still slept. Alice alone was alert. When 
Walter Parr returned home in the eve- 
ning she was alone in the garden, little 
Rosa in the meantime being with her 
mother. 

' “You seem to be afraid of me, Alice,’’ 
he said, coming upon her rather sud- 
denly and noticing that she was disposed 
to avoid him, “but I will not harm you.” 
Alice made no reply, but cast upon 
Walter a look that reminded him of the 
beam that once shot from the eyes of a 
startled fawn upon which he was about 
to fire, but which saved its life. He 
drew back bewildered and abashed. She 
was gathering flowers when he interrup- 
ted her, and held in her hand a tastefully 
arranged boquet, the carmine glow of 
which shone in striking contrast with the 
transparent pallor of her own counte- 
nance, though it detracted nothing from 
her beauty. The silence continued for 
quite a time. Could a painter have 

-H-135-H- 


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seized upon the picture and transferred 
it to canvas with all its primitive simplic- 
ity and dramatic effect, the result must 
have survived as a marvelous triumph of 
art. 

From a crevice in the mountains the 
sun shed its parting rays, kindling a fire 
in the windows of a number of distant 
farm houses and here and there bringing 
into stronger relief the responsive out- 
lines of the Osage as it trailed its way 
through the valley. Homeward plodded 
the labor-stained harvesters, and with 
faces set in the same direction, the gra- 
zing cattle were making steady progress. 

^‘Do you wish to avoid me, Alice?” 
pleaded Walter Parr as soon as he could 
find courage to ag’ain address her. 

Alice turned from him in fright, seized 
with an impulse to flee, but her courage 
failed her. The flowers fell upon the 
ground and she seemed almost beside 
herself with excitement. Walter, also, 

-h^136^ 


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was visibly affected. He replaced the 
boquet in her hand with melancholy ea- 
gerness and drew aside without speak- 
ing. Alice presently regained her com- 
posure and began arranging the roses in 
the deftest manner, her shapely hands 
well becoming so dainty an employment. 
Walter Parr watched her intently. A 
slight flush had crept to her cheeks and 
an air of unusual repose beamed from her 
countenance. She seemed to have in- 
stantly changed and was no longer the 
shy and shrinking maiden whom Walter 
Parr had been accustomed to regard as 
little more than a child, and now stood 
forth a woman revealed, capable of ac- 
cepting and imposing conditions. 

He was startled at the transformation, 
and felt himself for the first time in her 
presence absolutely on the defensive. 
The pursued had at last turned upon the 
pursuer, not with the terrible instinct of 
revenge, but with all the subtle power of 

-H-137-H- SIG. 18. 


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fascinating maidenhood . Alice was still 
toying with the flowers as if inviting re- 
mark, when a slight disturbance came 
from the direction of the house. She 
turned quickly to catch its import, think- 
ing perhaps it might be some one calling. 

‘‘Don’t go yet, Alice,” pleaded Wal- 
ter, fearing she was about to leave him. 
“It’s only Aunt Martha talking to one 
of the men. When your mother is ready 
to go I’ll have Uncle Jerry hitch up and 
take her home. ” 

Alice made no reply to Walter’s en- 
treaty, but stood for a moment gazing 
intently in the direction of the house and 
then walked hurriedly away. 

^138-h 


XIV 


Is it meet that the trooper returning 
once more 

To the scenes of his youth when 
the battle is o’er, 

Who has borne in the fray the 
proud banner on high, 

Should be slain by the glance of 
a fair maiden’s eye? 


CCUSTOMED as was Walter Parr to 


' Alice’s apparent indifference to his 
advances, he was not surprised at the 
abrupt manner in which she terminated 
the interview, though he felt greatly re- 
lieved when he saw, or imagined as much, 
that her conduct was not prompted by a 
desire to withdraw from his company, 
but was due to excitement resulting from 
the discovery that her mother had risen 
during her brief absence and was already 
in the act of taking her departure. He 
followed them with his eyes until they 





44-139^f 


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disappeared behind a clump of trees, and 
then, taking a seat in the arbor near by, 
gave himself up to meditation. He rec- 
ollected his promise to Alice to haveUn- 
cle Jerry convey her mother to her home 
as soon as she should be in a condition 
to leave, but, concluding that it was now 
too late to carry out this idea, and that 
after accompanying her mother for a dis- 
tance Alice would return, he decided to 
let matters take their course. 

Walter Parr however, did not dismiss 
them from his mind. On the contrary, 
his thoughts kept pace with them in their 
meanderings through the silent woods, 
with a melancholy interest that nothing 
could divert. He pictured to himself 
the exact location they were at that mo- 
ment traversing, and wondered if the 
time would ever come when he might 
hope to receive from Alice that affection- 
ate regard which alone fell to the lot of 
her poor demented mother. At length 

^ 14044 - 


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he was aroused from his reveries by 
Aunt Martha, who came into the garden 
for the purpose of gathering flowers, and 
wishing to avoid any appearance of moo- 
diness he addressed the faithful old ser- 
vant in a voice of affected cheerfulness, 
when she gave a start and exclaimed : 
‘‘Lor’ Mars’ Waltah, how you sheer 
me; had no idee yo’ wuz heah. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘I was only resting a little, Aunty, ’ ’ 
he rejoined, assuming a half reclining 
posture on the seat and gazing at her 
through an opening in the branches, “and 
doing some planning for to-morrow.” 
Aunt Martha broke into a loud laugh 
and declared, ‘ ‘All de planin’ yo’ is a 
doin’. Mars’ Waltah, ain’t a gwine ter 
hev much ’fluence on de craps. No, 
chil’ , ’ ’ she pursued with that delightful 
familiarity with which she had been ac- 
customed to address AValter Parr from 
infancy, and which was not uncommon 
between master and slave in ante-bellum 

-h^141-h- 


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days, is a squandin all yo’ min’ 

on dat gal. ’’ 

Here Aunt Martha’s cachinations be- 
came more vociferous. She grew seri- 
ous however, on noticing that Walter 
seemed confused by her remarks, and 
attempted to apologize, but he assured 
her she had spoken only the truth. He 
inquired however, with eagQr solicitude 
if his mother was also aware of his at- 
tachment. 

‘ H ’lows no. Mars’ Waltah,” replied 
Aunt Martha, in the most earnest and 
confidential tones; ‘‘we dassnt tell the 
Missis, fo’ ef she know’d dat yo’ keer fo’ 
Alice she sen’ her ’way, an’ we doan 
want her to go, ’kase she’s a nice gal, 
sho’ . Fo’ks say dat she poo’ an’ dat her 
mamma’s in de county house, an’ dat 
make her ’shamed an’ ac’ ’culiar. She’s 
skeered all de time fear sumbody gwine 
to ta’k ’bcut her mamma. Las’ week 
Squire Jenkins stop’t ter see Missis, an’ 

-H-142-H- 


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mos’ de fus’ wu’d he say wuz dat he hear 
dat crazy Mrs. Gregg wuz out agin an’ a 
roamin’ ’roun de kentry. De Squire he 
did’nt see Alice, but she hear him, an’ 
goes out in de ya’d an’ cry like’er heart 
wuz brok’, Bime-by I go out to look fo’ 
her, an’ dar she wuz a settin’ under de 
trees a takin’ ter a prairie robin jes like 
it wuz human. She wuzn’t a cryin’ now 
but her eyes wuz moughty red like she 
ben a sorrerin’. She say to dat robin, 
she say, yo’ ain’t got no sick mammy in 
the po’ house, is yo’, little birdie? Yo’ 
fo’ks dey all well an’ happy. De robin 
he look kin’ o’ sid’way at Alice, ez ef he 
unerstan’ an’ den he kum up ter her jes 
like he wuzn’t afeard. Dar wuz some 
mo’ bu’ds onde grass an’ in de trees an’ 
dey all look like dey wuz a listenin’, dey 
did, Mars’ Waltah, fo’ a fac.” 

Here Aunt Martha paused for a mo- 
ment, but noticing that Walter remained 
silent, with his eyes fixed on the ground 


Ozark Post Office. 


as if anxious to hear more, she went on: 
‘ ‘I stood dar a watchin’ her fo’ a spell 
an’ I say ter myseif ez I sed afo’, dat gal’s 
’culiar. She alius a doin’ sumfin’ dif’nt 
frum udder fo’ks. One day Missis, she 
say, Aunt Martha, whar’s Alice an’ de 
chil’, an’ I say. Missis, I dunno, fo’ I 
han’t seed herfo’ mo’n an’ ’our, an’ she 
say, go an’ sarch fo’ her, an’ tell her ter 
bring de chil’ in de house fo’ its time ter 
take its nap. So I go’s out in de ya’d 
an’ de gad’n an’ look’n look, but she 
wuz no wha’ to be foun’. Den I tuk de 
paf down fro’ de woods ter de run, an’ 
dar, shu’ ’nuf, she wuz, a takin’ to de 
watah dat kum a pour’n down from de 
mount’ n, jes the same ez she tak’d ter 
de pra’ry robin. She say, yo’ ain’t got 
no sick mammy in de po’ house, hev yo’ 
little brook, kase you would ’nt go sing- 
in’ all de time dat way frew de forres’ so 
happy ef yo’ had. An’ dar she sot an’ 
sot, a talkin’ an’ a talkin’, an’ a citin’ 

-M-144-H- 


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po’try ’bout de bu’ds an’ de flow’rs, an’ 
sky an’ brooks to de chil’ . Bime-by I 
say, Alice, what yo’ doin’, an’ she riz 
up ’sprised like, an’ say, Aunt Martha, 
is dat yo’, an’ I say Alice it’s me, sho’, 
but whar yo’ git all dat book lamin’? 
She wuz sorter ’fused at fus’ an’ I ax her 
agin’ whar she git it, an’ she say she 
larntit from de schoolmistis an’ de books 
Mister Parr fotch her from St. Louis. She 
say,” added Aunt Martha, in an exult- 
ant way, ^^dat she’s gwine to larn me 
ter read, too. ’ ’ 

Walter Parr listened attentively to her 
random talk, accompanying her about 
the garden as she gathered the flowers, 
though he learned from her little that he 
did not already know concerning Alice’s 
peculiar disposition. 

‘ ^Did she say that it was me that gave 
her the books?” he at length asked. 

‘‘Sho’ an’ she did. Mars’ Waltah, an’ 
she say yo’ wuz a moughty fin’ gem ’man 

SIG. 19. 


Ozark Post Office. 


ter be so good ter her, fo’ yo’ wuz alius 
fotchin’ her somfm’ nice.^^ 

Walter Parr was perplexed. Doubt 
and desire struggled within him for mas- 
tery. At length he said to Aunt Martha, 
‘‘If Alice thinks that I’m such a fine 

gentleman, why is she always so shy of 

0 

me when I’m near her? She doesn’t act 
that way with the other young men of the 
neighborhood. I’m afraid,” he declared 
forlonly, “she doesn’t care for me.” 

‘ ‘Keer fo’ yo’ Mars’ Waltah,” replied 
Aunt Martha, with an air of confidential 
assurance. “Sartenly she do; co’s she 
mo’ free wif de odder youg men dan wif 
yo’, kase dey po’ folks like’r se’f.” 

Aunt Martha having protracted her 
stay in the garden, now returned to the 
house and Walter Parr soon followed. 

Directly after supper Mrs. Riddle be- 
gan making preparations for going home, 
On parting with her guest at the gate, 
Mrs. Parr said, “you had better drive 

-H-146-H- 


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as fast as you can , for it looks like rain . ’ ’ 
The sky was already partially overcast 
with threatening clouds, and when Mrs. 
Parr returned to the house she found 
Aunt Martha closing the windows and 
doors in anticipation of a storm. As she 
settled into a chair on the porch beside 
her son, a breeze swept over the woods 
beyond, inverting the leaves and invest- 
ing them with a quivering light, and a 
moment later a field of half-grown corn 
caught the infection, and became an un- 
dulating sea of mingled green and gray. 

Walter Parr watched the scene with a 
troubled expression, and paid but little 
attention to his mother’s remarks. Pres- 
ently he arose and going into the yard 
called Uncle Jerry, who was busying 
himself with the evening chores. 

‘‘You can have one of the men saddle 
up Nell as soon as you can. ” 

Mrs. Parr caught her son’s remark, 
and said anxiously, ‘ 'you are not going 

4 ^ 147 ^ 


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out in this kind of weather, are you, 
my son?'^ 

‘‘Well, I was thinking of taking a lit- 
tle ride, mamma, ’ ’ he replied evasively, 
his face turned in the direction that the 
mother and daughter had taken. 

‘‘And where do you intend going?’’ 
she insisted. 

Walter passed into the house without 
replying, but presently returned with a 
pair of cavalry pistols buckled to his 
waist. In his eyes there was a look of 
courageous determination. 

Surprised at her son’s strange action, 
Mrs. Parr repeated her question, “where 
do you intend going?” 

“I’m going to look after Alice,” he re- 
joined, rather impetuously. “It is not 
safe for women to be caught out in the 
woods after dark. ” 

Mrs. Parr rested her hands on the arms 
of her chair and peered into the tv/ilight 
as if undecided what to say. The trees 

-h^1484^ 


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now swayed before the increasing wind, 
and the frail corn lay almost flat upon 
the earth. The situation was ominous . 
She realized the propriety of some one 
going to the assistance of the two, but 
reflected that it was not a proper mission 
to be undertaken by her son, and finally 
suggested that one of the men be direc- 
ted to go for them. 

“I don’t think he would find them,” he 
retorted, ‘‘for they have got too much 
of a start. No,” he insisted, “I guess 
it’ll take Nell and me to overtake them. ” 

At this juncture, the mare, a blooded 
animal brought home by Walter Parr at 
the close of the war, and which had car- 
ried him safely through a number of se- 
vere engagements, was led from the sta- 
ble into the lane by Uncle Jerry. 

Observing her son was still intent on 
carrying out his purpose, his mother 
made further effort to dissuade him, but 


•h-149-h^ 


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failing in this, she determined to assert 
her authority. 

^‘You must not disobey me in this mat- 
ter, Walter. ” She had risen to her feet, 
and speaking with an energy that amoun - 
ted to a command, was surprised to see, 
for the first time , he was disposed to man - 
ifest toward her a spirit of disobedience. 

It was now almost dark. He moved a 
step forward as if to depart. His mother 
was at his side in an instant, and laying 
her hand upon his shoulder, said, “you 
are not going, Walter; you are not going, 
at least until after the storm’s over. ’ ’ 

For a time both were silent. At last, 
Walter said, ‘ ‘1 don’t want to disobey 
you, mamma, but I must go after Alice; 
if I don’t. I’m afraid something will hap- 
pen to her. ” 

“And what if something should happen 
to her?’ ’ she inquired in a tone of min- 
gled reproach and hauteur, “it’s no affair 
of yours. ” 


■^ 150 ^ 


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“But I can’t help it, mamma,” he re- 
plied, gazing fixedly at the floor. 

Mrs. Parr drew herself up proudly , her 
eyes flashed and her whole demeanor 
showed her to be greatly excited. The 
truth dawned upon her in an instant. 
She recoiled at first, but recovering very 
quickly, she cried: 

^ ^ And so you are in love with this pau- 
per, are you? The daughter of a Yan- 
kee! Oh, you are a nice Parr, you are. 
To think that you should bring the fam- 
ily to this 1 You can go after her if you 
wish,” she went on, motioning him from 
the house, “but don’t bring her back 
here. ” 

Walter Parr made no answer, but im- 
mediately withdrew. She called to him 
a moment later, for the purpose of mod- 
ifying her language, but he had already 
taken his deoarture. 

X 


XV. 


Mounting his steed like a 
warrior bold, 

Into the night and alone 
rode he, 

Through a land whose story 
has been told 
On the crimson page of 
history. 

J tOR a time the darkness proved no' 
barrier to Walter Parr’s progress, 
but at length the lightning became so 
blinding that he was obliged to proceed 
with the greatest caution. As he con- 
templated the scene, rendered all the 
more impressive by the loud and inces- 
sant thunder, it seemed to him as if the 
late contending armies might have again 
returned to the conflict, and were hurl- 
ing destruction at each other from the 
summits of the mountains. 

At last the rain descended. It rattled 
for a moment on the tree tops and then 

-H-I524f- 


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sifting through the foliage, was caught 
by the wind and hurled with startling ef- 
fect against all opposing objects. Walter 
Parr, though amply protected by a rub- 
ber coat, concluded to pause for a time, 
and drawing the mare from the road dis- 
mounted. As he stood with his arms 
resting on the saddle, waiting for the cri- 
sis to pass, his mind was busy with 
thoughts of Alice and her mother. He 
knew they could not yet have reached 
their destination, and wondered if they 
would seek shelter at some one of the 
farm-houses they would be obliged to 
pass, if following the main road, or if 
the mother, having become uncontrolla- 
ble, had insisted upon some other course 
of action, in which event he might be un- 
able to find them. Besides, he was fully 
aware that the rain would result in impe- 
ding his own progress. A small stream 
near by was already flooded, and scarcely 
a rod from his feet a torrent poured into 

SIG. 20. 


I 


Ozark Post Office. 


a sink-hole with an ominous roar which 
suggested the propriety of caution. Fi- 
nally the sky began to clear and he re- 
sumed his journey. His course lay along 
the Osage river, which in many places 
became so narrow that the branches of 
the trees that lined its sides joined and 
formed above it a sort of rustic arbor, 
invisible at first, but brought into strong 
relief a little later by the moonlight . The 
surface bf the stream was already' en- 
cumbered with driftwood, and the noise 
of gullies pouring in from the adjacent 
country produced a startling effect. 
Now and again a fish would leap into the 
air with a graceful curve and as quickly 
disappear, and on one occasion a musk- 
rat was seen putting forth strenuous ef- 
forts to reach the opposite bank. 

Every vestige of the storm had now 
vanished, though the woods were still 
damp and gloomy, and. an odor peculiar’ 
to freshets, pervaded the atmosphere.' 

15444 


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Meantime, Walter Parr hastened on, 
pausing at intervals to listen, hoping to 
catch the sound of Alice’s voice, or at 
least to gain some clew that would lead 
to the discovery of herself and mother. 
He had already passed several residen- 
ces, but as they were all dark, and evi- 
dently well guarded by viscious dogs, 
whose incessant barking served as a war- 
ning to all such unfortunate creatures, 
he concluded it would be useless to at- 
tempt to make any inquiry concerning 
them. It was now less than two miles to 
the county house . He looked at his watch 
and saw that it was nearly ten o’clock. 
A low, mournful sound at this moment 
reached his ears. He paused and list- 
ened. It proved to be the hooting of an 
owl on a distant peak, and he started on 
again as if the dismal wail might have 
spurred him to renewed effort. The road 
at this point left the river, and led through 

a heavily timbered country so isolated 

^ 155 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


and lonely that he instinctively placed 
his hand on his pistols to assure himself 
that he was armed. The next instant 
the mare shied and snorted, and seemed 
to be greatly alarmed. Observing some- 
thing move he dismounted when he dis- 
covered Alice near the base of a large 
oak, bending over the prostrate form of 
her mother, weeping. He spoke to her. 
She startled, and was just in the act of 
falling, but he caught her in his arms 
and placed her gently beside the tree. 
He then hastened to examine her mother 
and found she was dead. Turning to 
Alice, who had partially recovered from 
her fright, he said : ‘ Ht’s a good thing I 
came after you, Alice, for if I hadn’t I 
don’t know what might have happened 
to you.” 

Alice’s only answer was an increase of 
sobs. At this juncture a peculiar sound 
came from the side of the mountain less 
than half a mile distant, which Walter 


Ozark Post Office. 


Parr’s experienced ear detected to have 
emanated from a panther. The owl, too, 
renewed its distressing cry. He paused 
a moment to listen, and then removing his 
rubber coat he placed it upon the ground 
and laid the body of Mrs. Gregg upon 
it to protect it from the damp. He next 
unsaddled the mare and hitching her to a 
tree close at hand, set about doing what 
he could for Alice’s comfort. He placed 
the small saddle blanket* over a half de- 

t 

cayed log which he discovered a few feet 
distant, and in this way somewhat im- 
proved her seat, but farther than this the 
means of relief were not at hand, Alice 
for a time was inconsolable, but at length, 
having found solace in tears, and from 
sheer exhaustion, she became calmer, 
and seated side by side the two conversed 
and patiently awaited the dawn. The 

solemnity of the occasion served to re- 

0 

strain their conversation, and although 
Walter Parr was more than once, during 


Ozark Post Office. 


their lonely tryst, moved to declare afresh 
his love for her, which was all the more 
intense on account of her present forlorn 
condition, his high sense of honor asser- 
ted itself, and prevented him from doing 
so. ’Naturally enough, Alice’s thoughts 
were wholly absorbed in her dead mother. 
Her talk was desultory and often inter- 
rupted by paroxysms of grief. She ev- 
idently had no thought of herself, past, 
present or future, and when Walter Parr 
took occasion, for the purpose of allaying 
her grief, to suggest that her mother 
would be decently buried, and that she, 
herself, would be taken care of, she 
made no reply. Confronted by an over- 
shadowing present, all future matters 
were evidently of secondary moment. 
Several times during the night the cry of 
wild beasts rang through the woods with 
startling effect, but none of them at- 
tempted to disturb the watchers. 


-h-158m- 


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At length came the longed for dawn, 
and soon the birds began to bestir them- 
selves in the trees that stretched away 
into an unbroken forest in all directions. 
Life indestructible and eternal had re- 
asserted itself. The earth was full of 
joyous song. The dead alone were si- 
lent. Walter Parr and Alice had already 
risen from their seats and were moving 
about, daylight having suggested the 
necessity of action. As the road lay but 
a short distance away, Walter Parr was 
in hopes that some one would soon hap- 
pen along when their helpless condition 
could be made known to the outside 
world. The mare, to be sure, was still 
at hand, but he dared not for a moment 
leave Alice arid her dead mother to go 
for assistance. And so they waited. 

Presently the sun rose above the moun- 
tains and the moisture that still clung to 
the forest, as the result of the rain of the 
previous night began to take wings and 

44^159-H- 


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float away in great white clouds, leaving 
in their path the fresh verdant glory of a 
summer morning. Scarcely a hundred 
yards away flowed the Osage, muddy and 
swollen, though greatly reduced in vol- 
ume from what it was a few hours before, 
the banks presenting ample proof of 
the flood which had so recently swept the 
narrow valley . On either side of them 
the mountains rose so abruptly as to be 
almost impassable, but the view was en- 
chanting. Moss grew abundantly about 
the roots of the trees and over the vast 

ledges of rocks, many of which were also 

» 

half hidden by luxuriant growths of 
creeping vines, while wild flowers were 
everywhere to be seen . 

Walter Parr gathered a large bunch of 
these and dividing it gave a part to Alice 
and placed the residue on her dead moth- 
er’s breast. Since death all evidences of 
pain and sorrow had disappeared and she 
lay like one enjoying a peaceful sleep. 

-H- 160 -H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


Alice noticed the change and remarked 
through her tears, ^ ‘She’s better off ; it’s 
the first moment’s rest she has had since 
we came to Ozark Post Office.” 

At this juncture a noise was heard in 
the distance and presently a two -horse 
team came in view, when Walter Parr 
recognized the driver to be a revenue of- 
ficer accompanied by Zeb Posey, who 
was again under arrest for moonshining. 
When the team came to where Walter 
Parr and Alice were standing, it was 
brought to a stop, and the officer was in- 
formed of Mrs. Gregg’s death, and re- 
quested to convey her body back to the 
Parr homestead for burial. A few mo- 
ments later the remains of Mrs. Gregg 
were placed in the wagon by the side of 
Posey’s captured still, Alice was helped 
to a seat, Walter Parr saddled and be- 
strode the mare, when the solemn pro- 
cession went on its way. As the road 
was heavy from the rain of the previous 

siG. 21. 




Ozark Post Office. 


night, nearly two hours were consumed 
in the journey. The day was a perfect 
one, and nothing could be added to the 
sublimity of the scene, to contemplate 
which was to be brought into the very 
presence of the Creator, and realize the 
justification of His every act. Alice at 
last was reconciled. Very little conver- 
sation took place during the journey. It 
was the middle of the forenoon when- 
they reached the Parr homestead. As 
they drove up, Uncle Jerry who had been 
on the look out for his young master’s 
return, promptly met them at the gate. 

Mrs. Parr having been informed of her 
son’s presence, came out, her features 
still showing the effects of a restless 
night. Walter Parr dismounted, and as 
Uncle Jerry took charge of the mare he 
instructed him to call two of the hired men 
at once. As a number of hands were at 

I ; work near by, they responded quickly, 

^ and the remains of Mrs. Gregg were taken 

( ' V 

'(< r i '' 


Ozark Post Office. 


into the house. In the meantime, Alice 
had alighted and Mrs. Parr had been in- 
formed of the mother’s death. Her fem- 
inine nature yielded to the pitiable spec- 
tacle and she fell into a chair and wept. 


XVI. 


They laid her where the grasses grow. 
While yet the rose was red, 

And some had stone above their graves, 

On which the years had fed. 

And others that were newer made 
Where rose the fresh tossed clay. 
Reminding them how their ’s would look. 
And then they drove away. 

VVVRS. GREGG’ S funeral was an event 
long to be remembered by the peo- 
pie of Ozark Post Office. It was con- 
ducted on a scale, and represented an 
outlay out of all proportion to her stand- 
ing in the community. Walter Parr se- 
lected, from the village undertaker’s 
stock, one of his finest caskets, and in- 
structed him to spare no expense neces- 
sary to give Mrs. Gregg decent burial. 
She had died on the night preceding the 
publication day of the Clarion, and Web- 
ber took occasion to make her death the 

^164-H” 


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subject of a pathetic story, which was 
all the more interesting because it was 
true. The subject appealed to him very 
forcibly, and he entered upon his task 
with that enthusiasm which invariably 
characterized his efforts when defending 
the defenseless, or attempting to right a 
wrong. He pictured the exemplary con- 
duct of John Gregg from the time he ar- 
rived in the village a stranger, the laud- 
able personal sacrifices he had made in 
order that he might succeed in building 
up a lucrative law practice, which would 
sooner or later justify him in sending for 
his wife and child; his final triumph, and 
lastly his heroic death. Webber declared 
him to be the first victim of the war in 
Southwest Missouri, and a. martyr to the 
cause of free government . Then he por- 
trayed his wife’s agony on learning her 
husband’s fate, her mental overthrow, 
and pathetic death in the woods. He 
spoke of the daughter’s devotion, and of 


Ozark Post Office. 


her sterling character, developed under 
the most trying circumstances, closing by 
paying a deserved tribute to Walter Parr, 
who, in disregard of his own personal 
safety, had gone to her rescue during the 
storm. “Here, ^ ’ he went on, ‘‘is a bit 
of romance in real life. The scion of an 
old Southern family, and an ex-confed- 
erate officer as well, championing the 
daughter of a despised Yankee. Light 
seems to be breaking.” 

This was a favorite remark of Web- 
ber’s. The reforms which he had labored 
for were slow to materialize, but he never 
wholly despaired, and he was ever on the 

alert for some straw of hope to which he 

« 

might cling. The people had stood apart 
and strove to maintain a distinct individ- 
uality. Go down to Cairo, and you will 
see two mighty rivers, the Mississippi 
and Ohio, come together. There is no 
sound of battle, yet the signs of a great 
conflict are nevertheless apparent. For 

-H-166-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


a season a line as distinct as though it 
were traced by some underlying struc- 
ture, divides them; but follow it and it 
will gradually disappear. At last a com- 
mon destiny has made them one. 

Whether moved by Webber’s article, 
curiosity, or a desire to show their sym- 
pathy for an unfortunate woman, would 
be no easy matter to decide. Perhaps all 
these influences were at work ; albeit, the 
funeral was the largest ever seen at Ozark 
Post Office. The people came in from 
the country by the hundreds, and the 
place presented the appearance of a hol- 
iday. The small church held but a hand- 
ful of those who sought admittance. 
Soldiers, maimed and otherwise, who 
had fought on opposite sides, were in at- 
tendance . Captain Leavenworth brought 
his entire family. Captain Braithwait 
and Deacon Riddle were among the pall 
bearers. Parson Watts, who a year be- 
fore had performed the same service for 

-h^167-h- 


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Major Parr, preached the sermon, which 
was very appropriate, and Squire Jenk- 
ins led the singing. Whatever might be 
the Squire’s attitude towards the world 
outside, the church was his spiritual 
home, and once within its sacred pre- 
cincts, he was all humility and obedience. 

He had known Mrs. Gregg as an in- 
mate of the poor house, of which he, like 
Deacon Riddle, was a director, but had 
never manifested, like the other, any 
special interest in her welfare. True, he 
was the heaviest tax-payer in the county , 
and from this point of view one of the 
institutions principal supporters, but all 
this was merely business, and was trea- 
ted from a commercial stand point. He 
was not indifferent, nor did he shrink 
from the duties of citizenship. On the 
contrary, he met all of these obligations 
promptly, but he was not enthusiastic or 
emotional. He was neither elated by 
success nor cast down by adversity, but 


Ozark Post Office. 


took a practical view of life and accepted 
what came without complaint or com- 
ment. From all this it will be seen that 
Squire Jenkins was not what the world 
regards as a lovable nature. He was 
respected and looked up to, and trusted 
implicitly, but rarely spoken of in terms 
of praise. At the church he was an at- 
tentive listener, and when the throng be- 
gan to move he did what he could to have 
everything go off with order and system. 
At the cemetery he was the last to leave, 
remaining to see that the sexton did his 
whole duty. There were floral crosses 
and other tokens of sympathy placed on 
the new made grave, and Capt. Braith- 
wait laid a wreath upon the unmarked 
grave of John Gregg, which joined it, 
for Deacon Riddle was thoughtful enough 
to have them buried side by side. When 
at length the throng dispersed, an air of 
quiet repose took possession of the vil- 
lage that was oppressive. All were af- 

-H-169^4- SIG. 22. 


Ozark Post Office. 


fected by it. It was the first time since 
the breaking out of che war that the com- 
munity at large had been brought to a 
full contemplation of the situation . 

Webber remarked to Deacon Riddle at 
the post office, later in the day, ‘‘Dea- 
con, we are in the midst of one of those 
overshadowing events of which I spoke 
during one of our earliest meetings. If 
anything of importance should happen at 
Ozark Post Office at this date, it will be 
remembered as having taken place on 
the day that Mrs. Gregg was buried. 
Justice is sometimes tardy, but it Is sure. 
The normal condition of the universe is 
harmony . This is occasionally interrup - 
ted by the recurrence of earthquakes and 
storms, but they soon pass. We have 
had these things here and know the havoc 
they create. Let us trust that we are 
now to enjoy the calm.” 

The Deacon stood for a moment as if 
attempting to swallow something, and 


Ozark Post Office. 


then remarked: ‘ ^Everything will come 
out all right in the end. Men’s passions 
sometimes run away with their reason, 
but they never carry it so far that it does 
not come back. ’ ’ 




XVII. 

Maid of the solemn harp, sing- 
a new song. 

Breathe not a word of your 
sorrow and wrong. 

Turn to the promise of youth 
and be free, 

All that life offers is waiting 
for thee. 

/^ROM their first meeting, Miss Parks 
and Alice were almost constant com- 
panions, and they soon grew to be very 
much attached to each other. Their 
youthful experiences were not dissimilar. 
Both were orphans, and alike had been 
thrown upon their own resources very 
early in life. Miss Park’s parents died 
when she was a mere child, and she had 
been brought up by an aunt, who gave 
her a thorough education. Her musical 
studies were completed in Europe. Be- 
fore coming West she sang in a choir in 


Ozark Post Office. 


Boston, and directly after reaching Ozark 
Post Office she v/as induced by Parson 
Watts to undertake the performance of 
similar duties for his church, so that she 
soon became a prominent figure in the 
community, and her society was much 
sought after by both sexes of the better 
class. 

Shortly after Walter Parr’s return, Al- 
ice was relieved of all responsibility as to 
Rosa by a colored servant, and became 
the child’s associate under the tuition of 
Miss Parks. Mrs. Parr had been influ- 
enced to make this concession in favor of 
Alice in order that she might have an 
opportunity to prepare herself to make 
her own way in the world, should the 
necessity arise. From this time on her 
life began to pass more pleasantly, and 

when not at her studies^ she would join 

/ 

the other members of the family in a 
pleasant drive about the country, or en- 
ter with them into their social pleasures 


Ozark Post Office. 


generally. Sometimes Walter Parr would 
take them on a fishing excursion to the 
Osage, or to a pic nic, where they would 
spend the day. Then there was the an- 
nual camp-meeting, where Parson Watts 
preached his exhaustive and sleep indu- 
cing sermons in ‘‘God’s temple,” as he 
called the woods, and where Squire Jen- 
kins was afforded an opportunity to ex- 
hibit his power as an exhorter, and which 
gained for him among the irreverent, the 
sobriquet, ‘ ‘Ozark whistler. ” He had 
a fashion, when warmed up to his work, 
of drawing his breath through his nos- 
trils, that produced a sniffling sound 

I 

that is never heard outside of a Metho- 
dist sanctuary, and which at that period 
was recognized by all the sect as official. 
Deacon Riddle never employed it. His 
sense of humor, which enabled him to 
laugh at his own shortcomings, came to 
his rescue and saved him from all such 
innovations. Neither was he what might 

♦fl744^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


be called a ranter. The true philosopher 
never is. 

Sometimes on their drives they would 
pay a quiet visit to the hamlet where the 
dead rested, and lay flowers upon their 
graves. A pleasant surprise awaited 
Alice on one of these occasions. They 
had paid homage to the grave of Major 
Parr and were approaching the vicinity 
where Mr. and Mrs. Gregg were buried, 
when they were confronted by two re- 
cently erected headstones, on which ap- 
peared the names, the date of birth and 
death of these two unfortunates. Alice 
sobbed aloud when she caught sight of 
the plain, neat memorials, and for a time 
was too full for utterance. When she 
regained her composure she expressed 
her gratitude in a modest way, but made 
no reference as to whom she regarded 
herself as indebted for this evidence of 
kindly regard. Naturally she supposed 
it could be no other than Mrs. Parr, and 


Ozark Post Office. 


after returning home she thanked her for 
her noble deed. Mrs. Parr declared she 
knew nothing of the circumstance. ‘‘It 
must have been Walter,” she said, look- 
ing at her son, who was seated near by. 

He blushed, and in a confused man- 
ner admitted that he had ordered the 
stones erected. Alice hesitated before 
replying, fearing that her son’s action 
might be displeasing to Mrs. Parr, yet 
she felt it to be her duty to express her 
thanks to him, which she did, and then 
inquired: ‘‘But where did you get the 
birth dates, Mr. Parr?” 

She always called him Mr. Parr, and 
maintained towards him an attitude of 
reserve which precluded any attempt at 
familiarity. He had often tried to break 
down this barrier, but without success. 

“From your family Bible on the table 
there, ” he answered, gravely. 

‘‘Oh, yes,” she rejoined, recalling 
the fact that the book had been forwarded 

-H-176H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


among her mother’s effects and brought 
to her by Deacon Riddle, ‘‘and it was 
very thoughtful of you.” 

Supper being announced, the subject 
was dropped, and the conversation as- 
sumed a more cheerful tone . From grave 
to gay is a natural transition of the mind. 
The tension finds relaxation in the lighter 
moods. After supper Miss Parks and 
Alice played and sang, Walter Parr tur- 
ning the music, and nowand then joining 
them in a tune. The airs selected must 
have been suggested by the afternoon’s 
outing, for none of them were of a frivo- 
lous nature . The childish voice of Rosa, 
blending with the others, was not with- 
out its charm, and altogether the atmos- 
phere was that of a happy and contented 
home, which had been tempered by sor- 
row and drawn more closely together by 
suffering. Above all, there was order 
and dignity that is a growth and cannot 
be assumed. Walter Parr was a born 

SIG. 23. 


Ozark Post Office. 


gentleman. Having began his education 
at an early age, he had completed his 
college course before entering the army, 
and his four years of service as a staff 
officer had detracted nothing from his re- 
finement of manner and courteous bear- 
ing. Mrs. Parr was accustomed to re- 
mark, when some one would speak of her 
son in complimentary terms : ^ Ht’s im- 

possible for him to be anything but a gen - 
tleman, he is the son of his father.” 
When Deacon Riddle learned that Wal- 
ter Parr had erected the stones over the 
graves of Mr. and Mrs. Gregg, he was 
much affected, and remarked to his wife, 
‘‘there’s a woman behind all this. These 
same fragile creatures that did so much 
to engender the feeling of sectional ha- 
tred, and bring on the conflict, will, in 
turn, save the country. Love knows no 
nationality or politics. I have noticed 
for some time that Walter Parr is smit- 
ten with the charms of Alice Gregg.” 


Ozark Post Office. 


‘But Mrs. Parr will never consent to 
such a match ; she’s too proud,” returned 
his wife. 

‘ ‘Proud, ” re-echoed the Deacon, with 
a chuckle, “the word is obsolete in the 
South. The ‘p’ and ‘r’ are all that re- 
main of it. Practical is the term now. 
Name from this time on will stand simply 
for what it represents in intrinsic merit. 
This maybe vested in wealth, in position, 
in youth and beauty, or in talent, but it 
must voice to-day — not yesterday. From 
this point of view Alice is a living, vital 
power. ” 

Soon after this talk, Webber called for 
his daily batch of mail, which consisted 
of a number of country exchanges, when 
the Deacon remarked: ‘‘Webber, I’ve 
an item for you. ” 

Instinctively the editor’s fingers sought 
his vest pocket and out came his pencil. 

“What is it?” he eagerly inquired. 

“Go over to the cemetery, and you 

-H-179H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


will see some improvements made about 
the graves of John Gregg and his wife. 
Write them up. Walter Parr is respon- 
sible for it all . ^ ’ 

Without waiting for his papers, Web- 
ber went on his mission. In half an hour 
he returned, bearing in his hand several 
sheets of notes. He was in high feather, 
and remarked as he gathered up his mail, 
‘ ^ Deacon , the sequel to the death of Mrs . 
Gregg will make good reading. ” Then 
he added with a flourish ^ ‘ ‘The Archim- 
edean lever is getting in its work.” 

The next issue of the Clarion contained 
an article in Webber’s happiest vein. 
Friendship for Walter Parr, who had re- 
cently become one of his largest adver- 
sing patrons, no doubt influenced him 
somewhat in writing the article, but he 
would not admit this, even to himself. 
He was not averse to reaping whatever 
financial returns might accrue from his 
literary efforts, but his chief est reward, 

-H- 180 -H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


he felt, came in the form of the approval 
of his readers. He took equal delight in 
airing an injustice and a good deed, be- 
cause in doing so, he was setting things 
right. And ‘‘setting things right’ ’ was 
his mission as a journalist. 


XVIII. 

Where woods are dense and shadows 
stray, 

And the winding river takes 
its way, 

They sit once more in the 
old canoe. 

The happier that it bears 
but two. 

-TV 

^/T was in the cool of the evening, and 
Walter Parr and Alice were taking 
their accustomed recreation on the Osage 
river. Alice was seated in the bow of 
the canoe and Walter occupied the stern 
and wielded the oar. A number of other 
young people were similarly enjoying 
themselves, but none of them were just 
then near enough to catch what might be 
said in a conversational tone. The river 
at this point being narrow and the banks 
steep, the branches of the trees nearly 
joined overhead, forming sort of an 

-H- 182 -H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


alcove through which the rays of the sun 
seldom penetrated. The location had 
long been a favorite boating and fishing 
resort for the people of ^^he surrounding 
country. They were passing the time in 
the usual way, both apparently in the 
best of spirits, when at length Walter 
grew serious and remarked, “It’s a year 
ago to-day since your mother was laid to 
rest, Alice. Have we not waited very 
patiently?” He paused long enough to 
give her an opportunity to say something, 
but she remained silent, gazing vaguely 
in an opposite direction. Presently she 
rejoined, in her usual complacent way, 

‘ ‘Your mother hasn’t yet given her con- 
sent. ” 

“But she will, ’ ’ he returned, “rather 
than have me disobey her. ’ ’ 

‘‘And why should you disobey her?” 
she answered, with a calmness that irri- 
tated him far more than his mother’s 
opposition to their marriage. 


Ozark Post Office. 


‘‘I might be obliged to do so,” he said. 

^‘And for what reason?” she insisted, 
with a look that seemed to penetrate to 
his inmost thoughts. 

He hesitated for a tim.e, as if lacking 
the courage to utter the words that were 
already upon his lips, but realizing that 
he had gone too far to retract, he stam- 
mered: ‘‘for you, Alice, for you; I would 
sacrifice every thing, for you. ” 

Alice drew back as if startled, in spite 
of her efforts to conceal her emotion. 
Walter Parr watched her closely. Pres- 
ently she said: “Am I to understand 

that you would marry me against your 
mother’s wishes, and without her appro- 
val?” 

She spoke in measured tones and with- 
out any sign of equivocation . Her words 
seemed to daze him and he did not an- 
swer immediately. Finally he replied, 
“If you love me as I do you, Alice, you 
would.” 




Ozark Post Office. 


She dropped her right hand into the 
water, the slight motion of the canoe 
causing a faint rippling sound, which 
served to distract her thoughts for the 
time. Recalling herself she wiped her 
fingers with her handkerchief in silence. 
At length, burying her face in her hands 
and fixing her eyes on the bottom of the 
canoe, she faltered, ‘‘Have I not suffered 
sufficiently ? Heretofore, my sorrows 
were the outgrowth of the acts of others, 
for which I could not be held accounta- 
ble, but now you would have me commit 
an indiscretion myself that might be con- 
strued by thoughtless persons as evidence 
that I deserve my wretched fate. ” 

“But you cannot be wretched with me, 
Alice,” he pleaded. ‘‘I love you, and 
will protect you, ’ ’ 

“Marriage,’’ she insisted, “is a sa- 
cred contract, and cannot prove othei*- 
wise in the end than a disappointment, 
except under honorable conditions, and 

^185-H- 8IG. 24. 


Ozark Post Office 


these include the parental consent and 
blessing. 

‘‘But mamma will yield to our wishes 
rather than see us both miserable, ’ ’ he 
urged. 

‘Then we must wait until she does,” 
she replied, firmly. 

Some of the boats having by this time 
drawn near, the subject was dropped^ 
the conversation took a merrier turn, and 
became general. A few of the younger 
set showed a disposition to be frolicsome 
and indulged for a brief period in vari- 
ous antics calculated to attract attention . 

The sun had already gone down, and 
the shadows began to deepen upon the 
water. Some of the pleasure seekers 
had moored their boats and returned to 
their homes. Others were still gliding 
about. From one of these came the 
strains of a guitar accompanied by a 
sweet feminine voice, which gave utter- 
ance to a chant, as follows: 

44 ^ 186 ^ 


Ozark Post Office, 


Simple folks are all they are , 

Living in the forest where 
Nature’s face is ever fair. 

Where the river takes its way, 

And the fleeting shadows play 
Hide and seek throughout the day. 

On its shores the cottonwood. 

Dreaming in its mossy hood, 

Casts its shadow on the flood, ^ 

And the rustic lovers glide 
In the twilight, side by side, 

Happy that the world^s so wide. 

And the birds are singing there 

Notes that can’t be heard elsewhere, 

/ 

Voicing nature unaware. 

Keep your city — if you will ; 

It’s a pretty thing — but still 
They would hear the whippoorwill. 

Warbling near the everglade 
Where no teacher yet has strayed 
’Cept the one that music made. 

They unknown to fame shall live 
Little to the world may give— 

Pass like water through the seive. 

Yet they would not, though they could 
Leave their mountain home and wood — 
Ood is here and He is good. 

-H-187-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


When the music had ceased Alice re- 
marked that it was time for them to be 
going, and a few moments later Walter 
Parr brought the boat to the shore and 
they alighted. 

It was nearly dusk when they reached 

• 

home. Mrs. Parr was occupying her 
accustomed chair on the porch. Her 
little daughter Rosa, now half grown, and 
Miss Parks were seated at her side. Un- 
cle Jerry and Aunt Martha were bestir- 
ing themselves closing up the duties of 
the day. Around the quarters of the 
hired men the scene was more animated. 
A number of children were at play, and 
there was instrumental music, singing 
and other evidences of merry making, 
including dancing, the airs being an ad- 
mixture of the patriotic and sentimental. 
Dixie, Marching Through Georgia and 
Yankee Doodle apparently being most 
‘ in favor. All of this was in striking con- 
trast with the scene that was to be met 

-H- 188 -M- 


Ozark Post Office. 


with half a score of years before, but pub- 
lic sentiment had undergone a change, 
and all were becoming accustomed to it. 
The late bitter sectional hatred had been 
mellowed by the course of events. Chiv- 
alry is its own historian. Its deeds are 
written indelibly in the human heart, and 
the tongue that had been wont to heap 
venom upon the head of the invader of 
the soil grew less vindictive, as the peo- 
ple became better acquainted. Marshal 
deeds and feminine loveliness have ever 
been attracted to each other. Cupid is 
never a partisan. Neither is he a re- 
specter of persons. He delights in op- 
posites, and above all is paradoxical, so 
that the arm that is lifted to strike, often 
remains to defend. Besides women are 
tender and live to be won. 

The evening was spent on the porch as 
was the family custom during the sum- 
mer months. At length Rosa and Miss 
Parks retired, leaving Mrs. Parr, Walter 


Ozark Post Office. 


and Alice alone. Mrs. Parr, whose per- 
sistent sternness had undergone a very 
perceptible change of late, was in a very 
gracious frame of mind. She had, no 
doubt, come to realize at last, though 
she never would admit it, that the war 
was over, and the cause for which her 
husband had died was lost. The battles 
henceforth were to be fought at the bal- 
lot box and in the legislative hall. Pol- 
itics had already made strange bed- 
fellows. A number of ex-Confederate 
officers had taken office under a Repub- 
lican administration, and the sword was 
being rapidly transferred into theplough- 
sheare. The night was clear and the 
moon shone with great brilliancy, invest- 
ing the scene with that all -pervading at- 
mosphere which comes as a solace to the 
denizens of the more remote regions and 
seems to bring them face to face with the 
Creator. The shadows lay thick about 
the valley, obscuring the cultivated fields 


Ozark Post Office. 


until nothing was visible but the sombre 
forest, through which the experienced 
eye might trace the course of the river 
picking its way through the mountains. 

Walter Parr and Alice were seated on 
the steps at Mrs. Parr's feet. The con- 
versation was mostly about the affairs of 
the farm and the work laid out for the 
next day. Alice, as washer custom, 
was all obedience and attention, though 
Walter Parr, ostensibly, was not an in- 
terested listener to his mother’s observa- 
tions. Pie appeared irritated and rest- 
less. Noticing his apparent discomfort 
she questioned him as to the cause, but 
he answered evasively. Imagining that 
perhaps her presence might prove embar- 
rassing to the situation and prevent Wal- 
ter Parr from expressing himself as freely 
as he otherwise might, Alice withdrew to 
the parlor , and opening the piano began 
practicing her music . Seeing they were 
alone, Mrs. Parr pressed her question. 


Ozark Post Office. 


^ ‘Tell me now what ails you, Walter, for 
I see you are not yourself. ” 

“You know what ails me, mamma, it’s 
the same old trouble. Alice continues to 
treat me with indifference. ’ ’ 

‘‘In what way?” asked his mother 
anxiously. 

‘ ‘I have asked her to set the day of our 
wedding and she has refused.” 

“And she ’ll not marry you?” she ques- 
tioned, watching her son narrowly. 

“Not without your consent,” he re- 
joined. 

‘‘Then I think all the more of her,” 
said Mrs. Parr, with evident emotion. 
‘‘She’s a good girl, and if her mother 
hadn’t been a pauper you should marry 
her, but as she was, Walter, think of 
what people would say. ” 

Alice, who had been running her fing- 
ers over the scale, now struck up “Home, 
Sweet Home.’’ and the two for a mo- 
ment were silent. 


Ozark Post Office, 


At last, when the air was finished, 
Walter Parr placed his face in his hands 
and said, complainingly, ^ ‘Mamma, no 
place would be home to me without her. 
Can’t you give your consent?” 

Mrs. Parr was visibly affected. With 
true motherly instinct the good of her 
son was uppermost in her heart, but her 
pride kept her from yielding. True, ev- 
erything indicated that Alice had come 
of a good family. Her graceful figure, 
and unusual beauty, together with her 
native grace and refinement of manner, 
and above all the fact that her speech 
had not been contaminated, bv the idiom 

t/ 

of the settlement, though she had lived 
in it almost from childhood. True, this 
might all be due to her love of books and 
her aptitude as a scholar, and that her 
tutors were from the city, but had not the 
other children enjoyed like advantages? 

Mrs. Parr was greatly perplexed. — 
She had often Ijeen so before, for that 

sic. 25. 


Ozark P(3ST Office. 


matter. She loved the o-irl verv dearly 
and yet she could not see her way clear 
under all the circumstances to take her 
to her heart as a daughter. Strong a;^ 
was her own personality and character ^ 
she recognized Alice in this respect, to 
be her equal, and in her modest way, 
which never for a moment permitted her 
to be self-assertive, she wa.s every bit as 
proud. Yet, it was the pride that comes 
of conscious rectitude of purpose. 

For a time Mrs. Parr and her son were 
each principally absorbed by their own 
thoughts and talked but little . At length 
Mrs. Parr called Alice to her and mo- 
tioned her to a chair. A certain formal- 
ity about the proceeding convinced Alice 
that matters of unusual moment were 
about to be discussed. 

At length Mrs. Parr broke the silence. 
‘‘Alice, I know what Walter thinks of 
you, and have for some time, but I don’t 
blame you for it, for you have acted the 

♦f 19-U4^ 


Ozark Post Officfj, 

lady; but do you care for him as much 
as he does for you?” The effort caused 
her some emotion, which she could not 
conceal. 

Alice flushed, and after waiting for a 
moment said, Our social relations are 
so different that I have never given the 
matter serious thought,” 

^ “^Then you are not in love with Wal- 
ter?’’ pursued Mrs. Parr, apparently 
relaxing somewhat, and breathing more 
freely. 

“I admire him greatly, ” rejoined Al- 
ice, feelingly, ‘‘and am very grateful 
for his many acts of kindness.” 

‘ ‘Grateful for acts of kindness,” said 
Walter Parr inwardly, as a shudder ran 
through his frame. ‘ ‘Oh, if she’d only 
never say that again . ’ ’ 

The very sentiment was wormwood to 
him, and rose like an impassable barrier 
between himself and his hope of happi- 
ness. He even hated himself to think 

>fl954^ 


Ozark Post Office. 

that he was, in point of wealth and social 
standing above her, and often wished he 
might exchange positions with the hum- 
blest rustic of the neighborhood, if the 
act would only place him in a more favor- 
able light in her eyes. And yet, she was 
never unkind to him, and in the main, 
she generally seemed pleased whenever 
he came into her presence, though he 
imagined that her conduct lacked the 
spontaniety that should be the natural 
oucgrowth of unrestrained love. At last 
the hour for Mrs. Parr to retire having 
arrived, she withdrew, leaving Walter 
and Alice alone. 


4 ^ 1 9644^ 


XIX. 

Thev saw the rounded moon come down 
And gild the mountain’s crest, 

Like some fair jewel in a crown , 

Eclipsing all the rest. 

And when the denser shadows fell, 

On valley, hill and plain, 

They heard the whisperings that swell 
When night and silence reign. 



^ PART from their own voices, the onlj^ 
sound that greeted the ears of Wal- 
ter and Alice was the familiar notes of 
the locust, and the faint bark of a dog 
more than a mile away. These monot- 
onous vibrations seemed only to empha- 
size the silence. Above them stretched 
the ^ ‘milky way,’ ’ and all the glories of 
the heavens. The same scene that had 
caught the eyes of lovers, and filled their 
souls with mysterious longings since the 
dawn of creation, and shall continue to 


Ozark Post Office. 


enchant them till the race has run its 
course, was there. Alone, as they were, 
they seemed to have the universe to 
themselves. And yet each maintained 
a distinct individuality, and there was 
lacking, at least on the part of Alice, 
that unrestrained sympathy that should 
characterize two thoroughly devoted lov- 
ers. In affairs of the heart man has usu- 
ally less at stake than woman. On en- 
tering the marital relation she sacrifices 
more than her name — the possibility of 
an independent career, which, however 
it may be discouraged by some, is dear 
to the heart of every human being of av- 
erage ambition. The bans having been 
pronounced, she is, generally speaking, 
thenceforward, in the eyes of the world, 
simply what her husband makes of her. 
To be sure, she may supply him with the 
very qualities he lacks, in order to ob- 
tain success, and prove as well, his in- 
spiration ; yet, whatever of recognition 

-H-198^f- 


Ozark Post Office. ^ 


comes to her is apt to be measured by 
his career. She may be the power be- 
hind the throne, but another reigns. 
And yet, when these conditions exist in 
perfect harmony, marriage is a success, 
and happiness, as far as it is to be real- 
ized in this world, is the result. 

Both Walter and Alice understood all 
this, and he was anxious to enter upon 
the performance of his part of the con- 
tract without mental reservation. But 
not so with Alice. There were obstacles 
in the way of their union, and until these 
were removed she could not yield her 
consent. In her own heart, though she 
would not admit it, she was in full sym- 
pathy with her lover, but her sense of 
honor sealed her lips, and obliged her to 
suffer in silence . This is a trait common 
to the higher type of womanhood. The 
true and noble wife, who has the good of 
her husband at heart, appeals to him — 
more or less — as a negative force. She 

19944 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


realizes that her strength lies in conser- 
vatism, and it behooves her to be in a 
measure on the defensive. Moreover, 
she is often obliged to criticise and bear, 
for a time, the sting of unmerited reproof, 
and for no other reason than that she 
performs her simple duty . Such women 
are the makers of men. As wife and 
mother their influence, though rarely 
apparent on the surface, is supreme. 
Young and inexperienced as Alice was, 
she already gave evidence of her right to 
claim kinship with those of this heroic 
mould. She was not under the impulse 
of the moment, to be won and borne off 
by a Lochinvar, yet the prize suffered 
nothing from the comparison. There 
was a charm in her constant resistance, 
and evasive firmness, never to be met 
with in her more frivolous sisters, whose 
familiarity is often apt to lead to con- 
tempt. 


H2004f 


Ozark Post Office. 


They were not in the habit of sitting 
up so late, but the beauty of the scene 
so charmed them that they were loth to 
withdraw from it. As the night waned 
the great clock within told the hour. Si- 
multaneously with the stroke of twelve, 
a fowl perched on a tree close by, roused 
itself, and flapping its wings crowed lus- 
tily. The challenge was answered by 
others of its tribe at various distances, 
until at last silence resumed sway. As 
the small hours approached, the locusts 
became less energetic in their chirpings, 
as if wearied by their protracted efforts, 
they had, with the exception of a few 
sentinels, joined the rest of the pulsating 
world to enjoy a few hours slumber. The 
dog too, at last was silent. Now and 
then a meteor would shoot across the sky 
with brilliant effect, filling their souls 
afresh with admiration for the glories 
that studded the unfathomable dome 
above. The scene was too impressive to 

44-201^ SIG. 2iK 


Ozark Post Office. 


admit of uninterrupted conversation. 
There were moments given to reflection, 
when the thoughts of each were turned 
inward in an effort to discover, if possi- 
ble, something of the relationship that 
exists between the individual and the 
the Creator. They did not pursue the 
subject over deeply, however, for with the 
young sentiment is more of a directing 
force than reason. Walter was too much 
interested in Alice to be drawn, except 
momentarily, to the contemplation of 
anything else, but she , on the other hand, 
was less trammeled. She realized, ob- 
scure as she was, that as far as she was 
concerned, the universe existed for her 
alone. She was the centre around which 
the spheres revolve. 

From the unfathomable source of all 
life, which we symbolize as God, she 
came, and to Him alone she was per- 
sonally responsible. Whence these in- 

« 

spiring thoughts? Who may answer? 

4^202-h- 




Ozark Post Office, 


And yet not a few of us, at times, have 
experienced them. They are the invis- 
ble essence of the visible world. They 
come unsought to the child in the school 
room, filling it with mysterious longing 
for something better and nobler than it 
has yet known. Seek out the author, 
the painter, the sculptor, the inventor, 
in their lonely garrets, inspiring them to 
renewed effort, and the necessity of 
greater sacrifices. Genius, which finds 
expression in art, using the term in its 
broader sense, is all that survives. The 
history of the world is simply the story 
of the lives of great men and women. 
Wealth is but a temporal condition, that 
may come and go as the idle wind. It 
leaves no lasting impression upon which 
the memory loves to dwell, but a great 
thought or a noble action is destined to 
live and become the admiration of the 
ages. 


-H-20n-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


At last, they rose to go in. The dew 
had already settled upon the rose bushes 
that grew by the side of the porch, and 
plucking a flower, Walter gently passed 
it to Alice as a parting gift .• She received 
it ruefully, and said, ‘^Better have per- 
mitted it to remain unplucked. It has 
the right to fulfill its simple destiny on 
the parent stem unmolested. ” She in- 
haled for a moment the sweet aroma in 
silence, and then went on, ‘ ‘Man alone 
denies it this. Goodnight, and may your 
slumbers not be disturbed by the dear 
little thing’s ghost. ’ ’ 

-h^204-h- 


XX 


Oh, the lover was bold, and the 
maiden was coy. 

Was his wooing rejected, or did 
it avail? 

Were they wed? was their happiness 
free from alloy? 

He may learn who will read to the, 
end of the tale. 


FTER a month of anxiety and sus- 


pense, Mrs. Parr at last received a 
letter from Major Chadwick. It was da- 
ted Washington, D. C., and conveyed 
the intelligence that he had been detained 
at the Capital on business connected 
with the Government, but would soon 
leave for New York, and give his atten- 
tion to the matter entrusted to his care. 
She hurriedly glanced over the missive, 
then placing it among her private papers 
turned the key. She was alone at the 





-♦♦205-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


time, the other members of the family 
being engaged in their daily duties. The 
terrible ordeal was telling on her and she 
felt that a crisis could not be averted 
much longer. True, her son was not 
openly disobedient, but his mind seemed 
to be in a morbid state, and he took but 
little interest in anything except Alice, 
and the fear that she might not recipro- 
cate his affection added to his discom- 
fort. He was sure that she was grateful 
for his many acts of kindness and self- 
sacrifice in her behalf, ‘‘and yet,” he 
would murmur inwardly, while strugg- 
ling beneath the painful sensations that 
weighed upon his heart, ‘‘gratitude is 
not love. ’ ’ 

Meanwhile, Mrs. Parr was anxiously 
awaiting to hear more from Major Chad- 
wick, hoping that his investigation might 
set things in a better light. As affairs 
stood, Alice wns known only as the 

t 

daughter of a late inmate of the poor- 

-H-20G-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


house. Perhaps, if the truth were known, 
she might be more. For her son’s sake, 
as well as for Alice’s sake, she hoped 
this were true. Not that this could in 
any way add to her intrinsic worth, but 
it would place her before the world in her 
true light, and put an end to unsavory 
gossip. All knew well enough that in 
her darkest hours Alice was never, for a 
moment, ashamed of her mother or her 
family. The cruel, fratricidal war was re- 
sponsible for the misery that had come 
to them, and it was no fault of their own . 
This view was taken by the better class 
of people, among whom was Mrs. Parr, 
who finally decided to have the mystery 
cleared up. So she waited her time. One 
morning, about a month after receiving 
the letter from Maj. Chadwick, he called 
on her in person . The delight which she 
manifested on seeing him assured him of 
his welcome, and for a period he really 
forgot his mission, and gave himself up 

-H-207M- 


Ozark Post Office. 


to the discussion of ‘ ^old times/ ’ as he 
Teferred to the past, though be had been 

absent only two months. 

% 

‘‘And what news do you bring, Ma- 
jor,” at length, inquired Mrs. Parr, anx- 
iously. 

“Oh, everything passed off well,” he 
rejoined. “We were mustered out of the 
service and I am again practicing law in 
Boston. It’s a charming city, though I 
prefer the Ozark climate. ” 

‘‘Are we to be remembered only by 
the favorable conditions of our atmos- 
phere. Major?” she replied, chidingly. 
Then, assuming the sad look that always 
moved him, she added, ‘‘We are crea- 
tures of impressions. These, ” as editor 
Webber puts it, ‘ ‘are the overshadowing 
events that go to make up our lives. We 
care little for detail. Oh, its sad to think 
that after a sojourn of nearly four years 
in our beautiful country, that ‘thin air’ 




Ozark Post Office. 


is the one thing that is uppermost in your 
mind. ” 

The Major was perplexed, but recov- 
ering, he stammered out, ‘ ‘Oh, I didn’t 
say that, Mrs. Parr. You should not 
judge me so hastily. I only meant to 
refer to the climate as preliminary to” 
‘‘Oh, then,” she interrupted, bright- 
ening, “there are other considerations.” 
He inclined his head and smiled. ‘ ‘I 
shall always recall my stay at Ozark Post 
Office with pleasure,” he rejoined, with 
a mental reservatien, for he feared that 
it might possibly be with pain . 

She saw that his speech lacked spon- 
taniety, and guessed the cause, but he 
failed to note on her earnest face any 

evidence of sympathy. Assuming a more 

% 

dignified and business like air, he in- 
quired, ‘‘But how is your son? I un- 
derstand he is home. I shall be de- 
lighted to meet him, little Rosa, Alice 


♦4-209^4^ 


sk;. 27. 



■ 

i 


>' .V 


m . 


i 






l| 



.and Miss Parks. I trust they are all 
well. ’ ’ 

‘‘Very,” she rejoined. “They are 
not far off, and will be in presently ; but 
what of the ‘mission’ you spoke of in 
your letter, Major? Have you made any 
discoveries? Remember, you are my 
confidential ag^ent, and must confide in 
me alone. ’ ’ 

The Major took a new lease of hope. 
‘‘Certainly,” he answered. “I shall 
not breathe a word concerning the mat- 
ter to any one else.” 

A look of mutual understanding passed 
between them, and she moved her chair 
a little nearer, as if fearing that some- 
thing might escape her. The Major was 
in ecstacy. 

‘ ‘And what are the results of your in- 
quiries?” she questioned, watching him 
narrowly. 

“Very satisfactory, Mrs. Parr,” said 
he, with the air of an experienced attor- 


-h-210-h^ 






Ozark Post Office. 


ney. ‘‘I have taken the case, and have 
full power to settle up the estate. ’ ’ 
‘^Then Alice is an heiress?” she said, 
as if agreeably surprised. 

“Oh, yes, and quite wealthy.” 

Mrs. Parr unconsciously rose, stepped 
to a window that overlooked the valley, 
and presently, turning toward him, she 
inquired, “And the family. Major?” 
“One of the oldest in New York. ” 

For a time she seemed unable to con- 
ceal her emotion. Resuming her seat at 
his side said, in her inimitable way, the 
fatal expression creeping into her face, 
“My dear Major, how can I ever thank 
you enough for your kindness?” 

“The thought that I have been of the 
least service to you, Mrs. Parr, affords 
me a satisfaction that makes the happi- 
est period of my life.” He spoke with 
much feeling, his eyes, meanwhile, fixed 
upon the floor. 


44^2 


I 


\ 

Ozark Post Office. 

‘‘I’m so glad,” she remarked, pres- 
ently, abruptly terminating the Major’s 
sentimental mood, without giving the 
least evidence of having been touched by 
it, ‘ ‘that things have turned out as they 
have. It will enable me to remove my 
objections to their marriage and let their 
little love affair take its own course. 
They can now meet on equal terms. I 
have reference to Walter and Alice,” 
she said, by way of explanation. 

‘ ‘It does seem to help the situation, ” 
returned the Major, somewhat nettled to 
think that her thoughts evidently had no 
reference to himself. “Yes, in a mat- 
ter of this kind it’s better for both to fully 
understand each other. ” 

“But how shall we manage it?” she 
broke out, after a moment’s reflection, 
‘ ‘They must not be let into the secret at 
present. ” 

‘‘Oh, you can attend to all of that,” 
he rejoined. “I will take my orders from 

♦♦212-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


you . In affairs of the heart women are 
equal to all emergencies.” 

He smiled, but she seemed not to no- 
tice him. 

‘ ‘ Well , ” I must have time to think , ’ ’ 
she said, turning toward him with an air 
of business, “meanwhile, you must keep 
still. The girls are coming now, ” she 
went on , as voices were heard in the hall , 

‘ ‘ but the secret ; oh , how shall I keep it. ” 
As Miss Parks, Alice and Rosa entered 
the parlor, Major Chadwick rose to greet 
them. After the accustomed formalities 
Miss Parks inquired about Boston and 
Yankee land generally. 

‘^Oh, everything is running along as 
usual,” said the Major, facetiously; 
^ ‘she is scill turning out the usual quan- 
tity of ethics and baked beans.” 

Alice joined in the laugh that followed 
the Major’s remarks, and altogether the 
atmosphere was that of unrestrained 
merriment and good feeling. Mrs. Parr 

^^♦213-h 


Ozark Post Office. 


was in high spirits, a circumstance no- 
ticed by Alice, who attributed it all to the 
arrival of Major Chadwick. In this she 
was not altogether wrong. Presently 
Walter Parr arrived from the village and 
was introduced, after which supper was 
announced, and Mrs. Parr led the way 
to the dining room. Aunt Martha, who 
was aware of the Major’s presence, but 
who had not met him since his return, 
was overjoyed to see him, and expressed 
her feelings in smiles and bows. She 
was aware of the Major’s attachment for 
Mrs. Parr, and much regretted it, for 
she liked him and feared he would not be 
successful in his suit. ‘‘Nobody’ll eber 
git Missis to marry ’em,” she was in the 
habit of saying to Uncle Jerry, when 
some one of her many suitors would call. 
“She’s tru Suthen, an’ da neber gits in 
lubbutonct.” 

Major Chadwick occupied the seat at 
Mrs. Parr’sright, and Walter was seated 


Ozark Post Office. 


opposite. “The Blue and the Gray,’’ 
as Mrs. Parr remarked, ‘ ‘and I trust you 
will be good friends.” 

Each bowed and exchanged a look of 
cordial greeting. 

“We are indebted, Walter,” said Mrs, 
Parr, presently, ‘ ‘to Major Chadwick 
for many acts of kindness during your 
absence. I hardly know how we would 
have gotten along without him. ” 

She glanced at Alice . and little Rosa as 
she spoke, as if they emphasized the 
“we. ” The Major bowed and declared 
he had done no more than his duty. He 
did not enter the army to wage war on 
women and children. Walter Parr then 
thanked him for the courtesies he had 
shown his mother, and expressed the hope 
that they might become better acquain- 
ted. 

“I trust we shall,” rejoined the Major, 
who, apart from the consideration that 
he had taken a liking to the young man, 

44 ^ 2 15 ^ 4 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


was not averse to forming new associa- 
tions that might tend to strengthen his 
social relations with the family. 

Miss Parks and Alice sat opposite Wal- 
ter, and Rosa was seated at his side. He 
seemed to have caught the infection from 
his mother and was in better spirits than 
usual. Alice and Miss Parks entered 
very little into the conversation, and lit- 
tle Rosa was an attentive listener. When 
the meal was finished all adjourned lo 
the front porch to enjoy the cool of the 
evening. After dark they went into the 
parlor and Miss Parks and Alice played 
and sang till quite late, when Major 
Chadwick, bidding them all good night, 
took his departure for Deacon Riddle’s 
house, where he had arranged to stop 
during his stay in the village. ‘‘Be sure 
and call at nine to-morrow. Major,” said 
Mrs. Parr, as he lifted his hat to go. 

44^2 164^ 


XXI. 


Oh, love is a dream that is 
seldom fulfilled — 

That charms till we wake, and the 
spell is no more. 

The dew on the rose that the night 
has distilled. 

Then vanishing leaving it forlorn 
as before. 


■ ROMPTLY at nine o’clock next mor- 


ning Major Chadwick called on Mrs. 


Parr. She received him in the library, 
and as their business was of a private na- 
ture no one else was present. Mrs. Parr’s 
countenance wore an anxious look. She 
was the first to broach the subject which 
had called them together. 

“And no one knows a word of this mat- 

I 

ter except ourselves, Major, I trust,” she 
asked. 





♦4^217-h- 


SIG. 28. 


Ozark Post Office. 


haven’t breathed it to any living* 
soul,” he answered gravely. 

“Thanks,” she rejoined, brightening a 
little; ‘‘so far all is well. But I shall 
have to ask your advice how to proceed,’^ 
she added, “for I am really puzzled as to 
what is besfto do.” 

“I am at your service, Mrs. Parr,” 
he hastened to say, with an inclination * 
of the head. 

For a time both were silent. Then she 
observed, ‘‘It strikes me. Major, that it 
would be better for us to keep everything 
from Walter and Alice at present. I wish 
to test their affection for each other a lit- 
tle farther. Your discovery will afford 
me the opportunity to do so.” 

‘‘Knowing that you have the young 
lady’s welfare at heart, I shall acquisce 
in whatever course. you think best, Mrs. 
Parr,” he returned promptly. 

By this time the young ladies had be* 

gun practicing their music in the parlor, 

-h^ 218 -h- 


Ozark Post Office. 

and she rose and closed the door. Re- 
suming her seat she inquired, ^‘But tell 
me, Major, of the details of your inves- 
tigation. What is the real status of 
Alice’s family and fortune?” 

‘‘That is just what I wish to lay before 
you, Mrs. Parr,” he replied, with a look 
of confidence becoming the situation. 

have made, with the assistance of a 
private notary, a very thorough investiga- 
tion of the genealogy and standing of the 
young lady’s ancestors on both sides and 
find them eminently respectable. The 
Gregg’s are well represented in the army, 
in the professions and agriculture, and 
are mostly well to do. Colonel Charles 
Gregg, a retired physician, died about 
three years ago, leaving quite a large 
estate. There was supposed to be but 
one heir. John Gregg was known to 
have been killed at the outbreak of the 
war, and his wife and child were never 

heard of afterwards. Investigation has 

♦♦-219-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


been instituted, however, with a view to 
their discovery, as the executors are anx- 
ious to settle up the estate. I am intrus- 
ted with this matter myself.” 

‘‘And you found this all out, Major, 
without revealing your own knowledge 
of the Gregg’s in this section,” she 
questioned. 

“Certainly. Am I not a lawyer?” 
‘‘Pardon me, Major. I do not ques- 
tion your ability,” she rejoined, laugh- 
ing in a way that served to break up the 
monotony and relieve the somewhat se- 
vere tension. 

“And how did you manage to be ap- 
pointed to look up the missing heirs?” 
she asked. “It must have required con- 
siderable diplomacy.” 

“Oh, no,” he replied; “I simply called 
on one of the executors, ostensibly on 
other business, and during our conver- 
sation dropped a remark about having 
commanded a post in the Ozark country, 

-H-220-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


Missouri, during the war, when he im- 
mediately became interested and said he 
was about to dispatch an attorney for that 
section to look up a family by the name 
of Gregg. I then saw my opportunity, 
and said, ‘‘As I am about to return to 
Missouri to attend to some business of 
my own, I would be glad to serve you in 
this connection, if it would be agreeable, 
and besides being well acquainted in that 
part of the State, I might be more apt to 
find out what you wish to know than a 
stranger. Knowing me to be a lawyer 
and a person of some standing, from the 
letter of introduction I had presented on 
calling, he was delighted with my prop- 
osition and engaged me to attend to the 
case. So you see, Mrs. Parr, here I am 
and with full authority to confer with the 
heiress. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘But you musn’t, just yet, Major,” 
she broke in pleasantly. 


•H-221-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


‘‘Oh, no,’’ he said, “there’s no hurry. 
The youngs lady is being well cared for.” 
“But how much is the fortune, Major?” 
she pressed, with a woman’s curiosity. 

‘‘About half a million to be divided 
between the heirs,” he replied. 

‘ ‘ And how many heirs are there?” she 
questioned, with some show of anxiety. 

“Only one in the East, a brother of 
Alice’s father, and I believe she is the 
only Gregg left of her branch of this fam- 
ilv.” 

t/ 

“Then Alice will receive two hundred 
and fifty thousand dollars?” 

‘ ‘That is the sum, ” he rejoined, with 
judicial dignity. 

‘ ‘Oh, Major, I am so glad, ’ ’ she cried, 
assuming her most charming attitude 
and expression , ‘ ‘I don’t know how I can 
ever repay you for your kindness. ” 
“The knowledge of having served you 
satisfactorily, Mrs. Parr,” he replied. 




Ozark Post Office. 


looking* a little frustrated, ‘‘is all the re* 
ward I can ask. ” 

“All this is very noble in you, Major,” 
she said, then meditating for a moment 
she went on, “but I have not done with 
you yet, my friend, and you must con- 
tinue to be my adviser. ” 

“Nothing could afford me greater 
pleasure than to be near you, and I was 
about to say, Mrs. Parr, in any capac- 
ity.” 

For a moment her face wore a serious 
look, but she threw it off, changed the 
subject, and asked, “How long will you 
be in the village. Major?’ ’ 

He stammered noticeably as he an- 
swered, “I don’t know, Mrs. Parr, but 
I suppose I will have to remain until we 
get this matter settled, and that will de- 
pend on when you wish the case called.” 
He laughed as he said this,, and she 
looked puzzled. “Very well, ” she re- 
plied, diplomatically, ‘ ‘We will get on as 

-H-223-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


fast as we can. But Pm not inclined to 
hasten your departure. ’ ’ Here her eye- 
lashes dropped upon her cheeks and she 
looked as though she was ready to throw 
herself upon his sympathy. Both were 
silent for a time. They had quite for- 
gotten Alice, or at least the Major had, 
and was trying to make the best of his 
own case. When she lifted her eyes 
again it was to set them upon her late 
husband’s picture. The Major’s orbs 
were immediately turned in the same di- 
rection. For a time neither spoke. At 
last she recalled herself and observed, 
^ ‘ You know, Major, that I have always 
liked Alice. Indeed, she seems almost 
like my own daughter, and my only ob- 
jection to my son’s marrying her was on 
account of her social standing. But now 
all this is removed and a great load is 
lifted from my heart.” 

The Major bowed sympathetically, and 

felt that a word, lightly spoken, might be 

^♦224-h^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


of service in relieving himself in a simi- 
lar manner, but it was not forthcoming. 
Yet he was far from miserable. To be 
alone with her under any circumstances 
was bliss unspeakable. They were sit- 
ting near a window, and noticing Uncle 
Jerry had driven up the carriage she re- 
marked, ‘‘We have arranged for a short 
drive, Major, and have counted upon you 
as one of the company. Will you do us 
the honor?” 

“I am at your service always, Mrs. 
Parr,” he returned, bowing, “Command 
me at your pleasure. ” 

The young ladies had already taken 
their seats in the carriage, and putting 
on her jaunty summer hat of white straw, 
she and Major Chadwick joined them. 
As it was a pleasant day and the roads 
were in good condition, the time passed 
delightfully. After visiting the post of- 
fice, a circumstance that was never omit- 
ted on such occasions, they continued 

4^225^ SIG. 29. 


Ozark Post Office. 


through the main street of the village, 
and struck into the country, passing on 
their way a number of fine farms and res- 
idences and coming at last to the village 
cemetery they all alighted for a stroll 
over the grounds. Up to this time Mrs. 
Parr was in the best of humor and the 
Major had never enjoyed her company 
more, but once in sight of her late hus- 
band’s grave all was changed. Her spir- 
its were crushed, and for a time she 
scarcely spoke. Presently the company 
separated and Miss Parks and Rosa went 
with Alice to visit her father’s and moth- 
er’s graves, and the Major accompanied 
Mrs. Parr to the last resting place of her 
deceased husband. The grounds were 
well kept and flowers were growing about 
the costly monument in great abundance. 
Thinking it becoming, and wishing to 
show his sympathy for the bereaved 
v/idow. Major Chadwick gathered a few 

stray roses and placed them on the stone. 

^ 226 -h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


She noticed the act and smiled apprecia- 
tively, when her spirits began to revive. 

‘ ‘You are always so thoughtful, Major,” 
she murmured: ‘ ‘In this you remind me 
of Major Parr. He never seemed to have 
a thought of himself.” 

“You could not pay me a higher com- 
pliment, Mrs. Parr,” he rejoined with 
much seriousness, “than to refer in this 
manner to my humble efforts to please 
you.” 

She smiled sadly, though he thought 
he detected a glow of sympathy in her 
face, but whether it was for himself or 
the one resting beneath the shaft, he was 
unable to decide. At this juncture the 
young ladies came back, when they all 
returned to the carriage and drove home. 
It was nearly midday when they reached 
the house and Walter Parr, who had gone 
to the village in the morning, was just 
returning. When they alighted, Mrs. 
Parr invited the Major to stay to lunch, 


Ozark Post Office. 


but he begged to be excused as he had 
some letters to write and other matters 
to look after, but he would see her at any 
future time she might name. ‘‘Then 
come up this evening,” she said in her 
charming way, “for I must see all I can 
of you while you are here.” 


XXII. 


Lo! the great shall be small and 
the small shall be great, 

And the sage shall go out with 
the children to play, 

For a hand that’s divine is directing 
our fate. 

And the right shall prevail and 
the wrong — put away . 

C HE presence of Major Chadwick in 
the village was made the subject of 
much gossip. Webber gave him a very 
flattering notice in the Clarion, express- 
ing the hope that the Major would take 
up his permanent residence in the place, 
which he claimed to be an excellent field 
for investment. He was aware of the 
ex-post commander’s attachment for the 

‘‘widow,” as Mrs. Parr was usually 

•♦-♦- 2294 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


called, and on one occasion expressed 
his views to Deacon Riddle, who shook 
his head and replied, ^'No, Mrs. Parr 
will never marry again. She is a Ruth- 
erford, and they have always been pe- 
culiar in this respect. She is not of a 
re-marrying family. Pm sorry for the 
Major,” he went on to say, ‘‘but it can’t 
be helped. I reckon, though, he enjoys 
her company, and that’s some consola- 
tion.” 

•‘Oh, you are getting old. Deacon,” 
said Webber, ‘ ‘and maybe you are not 
good authority on such matters.” 

“Well,” rejoined the Deacon, “I don’t 
enjoy pulling a sled to the top of a hill, 
just to get to ride down on it as much as 
I once did. But you’ll see I’m right in 
this thing.” 

During the day Major Chadwick had 

many callers. Captain Braithwait and 

Zeb Posey, his old scouts, spent an hour 

with him. Posey was at last free from 

^ 230 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


the clutches of the revenue officers, for 
which he was indebted to Braithwait, 
who really had a liking for Posey’s 
^‘hand made” whiskey, as his friend 
was wont to call his output, had taken 
him in hand and set him up in the distill- 
ing business, so that his establishm.ent 
was now running “straight, ” and every- 
thing was serene. 

Webber was a light drinker, but as he 
had always brought the ‘ 'Archimedean 
lever” to Posey’s relief when he was in 
trouble, he was never without a supply 
of the ' 'moonshine, ” as he facetiously 
termed the spirits. 

In the evening Major Chadwick went 
to the Parr mansion, according to previ- 
ous appointment. The family were all 
at home and apparently in the best of 
spirits. After half an hour spent in gen- 
eral conversation, Mrs. Parr suggested 
that the young folks furnish some music, 

when they went into the parlor, leaving 

■h-2314^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


herself and Major Chadwick alone. Of 
course, this was the object she had in 
view when she made the suggestion. 

When they were alone, Mrs. Parr said, 
‘^Now, Major, we must get to business. 
Please move your chair a little closer so 
that we will not be obliged to talk too 
loud. ^ ’ 

The Major obeyed, when she went on : 
^ have thought the matter over and de- 
cided upon a course of action, with your 
approval, of course, ” she added. ‘‘It 
is this : The arrangement will give me 

a little time to perfect matters without 
interfering with your duties as an attor- 
ney. Now, what I suggest is, that you 
go on and make your report to the exec- 
utors of the estato, but keep the secret 
from every one until she is of age, which 
will not be until next May. You can de- 
lay things a little, Major; that’s a part 
of your profession, I believe.” She 
showed some vivacity here, and he bowed 


Ozark Post Office. 


in recognition of her wit. ‘‘Besides, 
you see, ’ ’ she continued, ‘ ‘Alice has a 
good home and is in need of nothing. 
You might make this known to her rela- 
tives if you choose, more than this you 
can tell them why you wish to keep the 
young ladies’ good fortune from her for 
a time. You may think me selfish, 
Major, but mothers are so more or less. 
I have no other motive in this affair than 
the happiness of my son and the welfare 
of Alice. I need not tell you that we 
care nothing for her wealth, our income 
is sufficient, 

‘‘Capital idea,’’ rejoined the Major, 
‘‘I shall proceed along the lines you 
have marked out.” 

“Thanks,” she said smiling. “Come 
now, ” she went on rising, “letus drop all 
this for the present and join the young 
ladies and Walter in the parlor. We 
can proceed further before you go 
away . ’ ’ 

(M-2334^ .SIG. 30. 


r 


Ozark Post Offick. 


As the doors between the library and 
the parlor were open they had heard the 
music and enjoyed it very much, though 
to be sure their minds were much divert- 
ed by the consideration of more weighty 
matters. Yet the general effect was not 
lost. When they entered the room the 
Major remarked to Mrs. Parr in low 
tones, ‘ ‘What a charming scene. The 
very picture of a happy and contented 
home.” 

‘‘And you wouldn't like to break it 
up, would you, Major?^’ 

She spoke in her most charming man- 
ner and looked at him imploringly. 
“Indeed I should not, Mrs. Parr.’^ 
They were standing quite a distance 
from the others and their words were 
not audible to them. 

“ Yes, “ she went on presen cly, ‘ ‘we 
are as happy as it is possible for mortals 
to be in this world of tribulation, for you 
know we have all suffered, and some of 

■H^2344f 


Ozark Post Ot^fice. 


'US at least must continue to suffer till 
the end. ” 

The old sad look had stolen to her face 
and she seemed to be ready to sink tc 
the floor for lack of strength. Th-e 
Major looked perplexed but was help- 
less. While her every expression was a 
plea for sympathy,, his former experi- 
ances had taught him lessons that he 
didn’t care to have repeated, so he 
remained passive. He had long* since 
come to the conclusion, that she was 
not to be won on the impulse of the 
moment, if she were to be won at all. 
Ir), his desperation he had often been 
moved to declare himself and have done 
with the matter at once, yet he never 
could quite bring himself to it. At such 
moments she seemed to anticipate his 
thoughts and change her attitude towards 
him so as to frustrate his purpose. 

Happily the selections for the evening 
had no reference to the late conflict. 


Ozark Post Office. 


Good taste, which was ever apparant in 
the Parr mansion dictated such a course. 
On a former occasion when ‘^Dixey’^ 
had been played at the suggestion of 
Mrs. Parr, it was merely intended as a 
bit of good humored banter directed 
against Major Chadwick, such as any 
woman might take the liberty of doing 
with a gentleman with whom she was on 
friendly terms. Besides the contest was 
then at its height, and it was only natural 
that she should express her preference 
for the air under whose inspiration her 
husband and son marched to battle. 
But now all was over and two soldiers 
who had fought on different sides met 
under her roof as friends. When at 
length the young folks took occasion to 
rest for a few minutes. Major Chadwick 
and Mrs. Parr moved up and joined in 
the conversation. The Major compli- 
mented Miss Parks and Alice on their 

musical attainments and thanked Walter 

^236f4- 


Ozark Post Office, 


Parr for the pleasure he had derived 
from his singing, for in addition to turn- 
ing the music he assisted the ladies with 
his fine barytone voice in some of the 
airs. As' a result of her training Miss 
Parks’ mind ran to the classical. Deacon 
Riddle, who had a fashion of saying 
when discussing the higher branches of 
education, in connection with his posi- 
tion as school director, ‘ ‘that too much 
culture unfitted a person for either earth 
or heaven,” was inclined to make an 
exception in her case. Her services in 
the church choir, had been of inestima- 
ble value in creating among the younger 
people a taste for good music and an 
ambition to excel, at this, the highest of 
all the arts. Her superiority was recog- 
nized, and did much to soften the aus- 
perities which had so long existed 
between the two sections of the 
country. In addition to her many 
accomplishments, she possessed the 


Ozark Post Office. 


real Yankee practicability and could 
adapt herself to the occasion, and make 
herself agreeable even to the illiterate. 
Her tact was unsurpassed. On one occa- 
sion when visiting a wealthy family of 
the neighborhood, ^ one of the young 
ladies present who prided herself on her 
knowledge of music, after performing 
several selections most wretchedly, was 
complimented by all, Miss Parks 
among the rest, for her fine execution. 
Later when Miss Parks was requested to 
play she remarked to the young lady in 
question: do not play those airs 

just as you do, though I am not sure that 
your way is not the best. However, if 
you insist I will run through them. The 
result was that she not only convinced 
the other of her ignorance, but made 
her her friend. This same mode of 
proceedure has since been practiced in 
the mountaineer districts among the 

poor with excellent results. Not only in 

^ 238 ^ 


Ozark Post Office, 


music, but in housekeeping and more 
especially in cooking. These moun- 
taineers are proverbial for their hospi- 
tality and to refuse to eat with them is 
an unpardonable insult. Missionaries, 
whose labors call them to those isolated 
sections, and who find it difficult to 
partake of the food set before them, 
have made excellent progress by adopt- 
ing Miss Parks’ tactics. They give out 
the impression at some cost to be sure, 
that they are very fond of the native’s 
way of preparing dishes, and later make 
a request that they be permitted to 
show them how they do these things in 
their part of the country. By these 
means something for the betterment of 
their condition is accomplished, which 
could not have been attained by 
criticism . 

At last Major Chadwick rose and 

thanking all for the delightful evening 

he had passed in their company prepared 

-k23944- 


Ozark Post Office. 


to go, Mrs. Parr accompanied him to 
the porch where they conversed for a 
time on matters connected with Alice. 
When the time came for parting she 
remarked in a confidential manner, 

‘ ^ Well Major, as you leave for the East 
to-morrow we shall have to conduct this ’ 
business by correspondence. Be sure 
and write often. I will keep you 
thoroughly posted concerning matters 
here. They were standing near each 
other when she spoke and he thought 
she looked a little depressed. When he 
lifted his hat and said ^ 'good-bye, ’ ^ 
she answered with a smile, ‘‘until we 
meet again.” 




xxm. 

— But when the moment came 
tt) part 

And he went forth 
alone, 

An inward flame illumed 
his heart, 

And then her image 
shown — 

meet again.” The words 
^ rang through Major Chadwick’s 
brain as he walked leisurely along the 
public highway that led to Deacon 
Riddle’s house. “Strange world in 
which we live,” he mused; ‘‘we are 
indeed creatures of impressionfS. This 
little village, buried in the western 
wilds, hallowed by an association, rises 
in my mind as the one cherished spot on 
«arth. To me, it is an holy shrine to 
which I cheerfully come to offer incense 

♦♦. 241 - h - siG. Si. 


Ozark Post Office. 


upon the altar of my goddess.” When 

he reached the house the family had all 

retired. He was glad of this for he was 

not in a talkative mood. For a time he 

lay on the bed thinking over his life for 

the past five years, a period which seemed 

to hedge in his real existence. The 

great world outside was as nothing to 

him now. All was centered here, and 

here rested his every hope. At last he 

dropped asleep. At breakfast the next 

morning he attempted to be cheerful 

though it was apparent to all that he 

was ill at ease. Something evidently' 

weighed upon his mind. He was, in the 

language of Webber, under the pressure 

of some ‘ ‘overshadowing . event. ’ ^ 

Deacon Riddle shrewdly divined the 

cause of his discomforture and resolved, 

in the language of the immortal “J. N.” 

who was a frequent visitor at the village, 

to ‘ ‘lift the veil. ” He knew the ex-post 

commander ^s weakness and went direct 

♦♦242-h^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


to the point: “I reckon you had a 

pleasant visit at the Parr’s last even- 
ing/’ he ventured. ‘‘Very indeed,’’ 
rejoined the Major, brightening; “they 
are excellent people, and the young 
man, — Captain Parr, I believe was his 
rank in the Southern army, — seems to 
be a fine fellow. ” 

‘‘A chip of the old block,” rejoined 
the Deacon, ‘ ‘his father was one of our 
best citizens. ” 

“So I have heard,” returned the Major 
a little depressed. 

Mrs. Riddle, who sat at the head of 
the table looked over her glasses approv- 
ingly and the three young ladies ex- 
changed confirmatory glances. 

‘‘And so you are going to leave us 
to-day Major, I understand,” said Mrs. 
Riddle, as she handed him his coffee. 

“Yes,” he answered, “but 1 shall be 
back again next season to settle up some 
unfinished business.” 


Ozark Post Office. 


An oppressive silence followed and the 
entire family, except the Deacon, looked 
confused. They imagined the event 
would come off sooner. Deacon Riddle, 
however, held to his old views and 
didn’t think it would come off at all, 
and so expressed himself to his wife and 
daughters later on. 

have been retained,” continued 
Major Chadwick, presently, ‘‘to attend 
to some law business for a gentleman in 
New York, and this will necessitate my 
return sooner or later. 

This frank declaration on the part of 
Major Chadwick, put affairs in an 
entirely different light, and there was 
another significant silence, and more 
glances. There was more conversation 
on general topics 'when the meal being 
completed the company broke up* 

After breakfast Major Chadwick 
walked over to the post office with 
Deacon Riddle, and on his way met a. 


Ozark Post Office* 


number of old friends. Among them 
Capt. Braithwait, Zeb Posey and Web- 
ber. Presently the editor drew from his 
side pocket his blank pad and after note - 
ing the fact that Major Chadwick would 
return East that evening, went to his 
office. Capt. Braithwait then excused 
himself to Posey, and calling his late 
superior officer aside, quietly inquired, 
understand. Major, that you knew 
Miss Parks in Boston?’ ’ 

“Very well,” was the rejoinder; “I 
am an old friend of the family, and 
secured for her the place with Mrs. 
Parr. ” 

“Came of good stock, Major,” pursued 
the ex-scout* 

“None better,” said the other. 

“Well, I like her singing, Major, ” 
continued Braithwait, “and just wanted 
to inquire who she was, that’s all;” 

They now walked back to where Posey 
was standing, when he drew from a 


Ozark Post Office 


pocket a pint bottle and handing it to 
Major Chadwick requested him to take 
it, as he would find it handy on the 
train . 

‘‘Is this moonshine, Zeb?^’ inquired 
the Major, smiling. 

‘ ‘No,. Major, thaPs straight, tax paid 
on it and everything regular/’ 

‘ ‘Thanks,” returned Major Chadwick 
as he placed the flask in his side pocket, 
^ ‘I shall drink to your good health. ” 
Presently the North bound train came 
along and Major Chadwick stepped, 
aboard. In a few minutes he saw the 

' r 

Parr mansion standing on the elevation 

to the left. Gazing at it intently until 
* 

it receded from view, he settled into 
his seat and murmured “till we meet 
again . ’ ’ 

He next gave himself up to reviewing 
the events of the past two days to settle 
in his mind, if possible, the real status 
of affairs between himself and Mrs. 


Ozark Post Office. 


Parr. He recalled their meetings, part- 
ings and their conversations, but found 
nothing in them that he could construe 
to indicate that her feeling toward him 
had undergone any change. She sim- 
ply liked him as a friend, but had she 
not other gentlemen friends whom she 
treated equally well, and whose company 
she seemed to enjoy as much as his 
own. ‘‘No, he reasoned, there is no 

t 

change.” I am no more to her now 
than I was a year ago. The secret that 
is between us is simply a business affair, 
and her every action showed that she 
regarded it as such. “And yet,” he 
ruminated on, “I suppose I must serve 
her nor ask why.” 

Major Chadwick went direct to New 
York and made his report to the execu- 
tors of the estate. He laid the whole 
matter before them, including Mrs. 
Parr’s request for temporary delay in 
informing Alice of her good fortune. 


Ozark Post Office. 


As nothing could be done until she was 
of age there could be no objection 
raised to this, and so matters were per- 
mitted to take their course. 

Major Chadwick lost no time in in- 
forming Mrs. Parr of his success in 
securing the executor’s consent to her 
wishes. He received a reply without 
delay. The stationery, chirography, 
diction and punctuation were perfect. 
It began, ^ ‘My dear Major,” and as the 
missive was quite lengthy it embraced 
all her moods, and for the moment he 
seemed to sit in her very presence. 

After rereading the letter several 
times, he placed it in his pocket, and 
murmured inwardly, ‘‘Well, she has 
taken me into her confidence anyhow, 
and that’s something.” 

Meanwhile, Mrs. Parr was not idle. 
As already stated she had no objections 
to her son marrying Alice except from a 

social point of view, but now that all 

-H-248-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 

V 

impediments were removed she felt that 
a great load had been lifted from her 
heart and she cheerfully set herself to 
the task of bringing affairs, if possible, 

f ■ ' 

to a successful conclusion. She knew 
that her son loved Alice, but she was 
not sure the young lady returned his 
passion. So she resolved to know the 
truth. One evening after returning from 
their accustomed drive, she called Alice 
into the library and said: ‘‘Alice, I 

wish to talk to you confidentially; I have 
heretofore opposed the marriage between 
my son and yourself because of the dif- 
ference in your social positions. This 

j 

you could not blame me for. With all 

my love for you this objection would 

. ^ • •• 

still remain^ were it not that I have come 

into possession of facts concerning your 

% 

family which convince me that I have 
been mistaken. You have simply been 
made a victim of circumstances beyond 
your own control and are not what the 

SIG. 32. 


Ozark Post Office r 


people of Ozark Post Office imagine 
you to be — ^the daughter of a pauper, ’ ^ 
Though the ordeal was trying Alice 
maintained her self-possession, and after 
a momentary pause Mrs, Parr continued : 
‘ ‘What I am saying to you is not known 
to a soul this side of New York, your 
former home, and I trust you will keep 
it all to yourself for the present; I have 
a reason for this. My son thinks you 
poor and without friends in the world. 
He loves you for yourself alone. He is 
mistaken — you are rich in your own right 
and in everyway his equal. As she 
uttered these words, Alice buried her 
face in Mrs. Parr’s lap and wept as 
though her heart would break. When 
she had grown calmer, Mrs. Parr went 
on. “Now, Alice, you know all. The 
affair between yourself and my son you 
can manage between you. I shall not 
let him know anything about your 

changed fortune for the present and 

•♦♦ 2504 # 


Ozark Post Office. 


I hope you will keep your own counsel. 
You could not come into possession of 
anything till you are of age, and 
besides you are not in need. 

4f25l4^ 


XXIV. 

He saw all else receding,, 
felt 

All passing into nothing 
melt, 

In which her image had not 
dwelt, 

And as a slave beside her 
knelt. 

When Walter Parr came home in the 
evening he was sure that he had never 
seen Alice look so beautiful. It alse 
occurred to him that she seemed less 
reserved and reticent in his presence 
than formerly, a circumstance which he 
mentioned to his mother who remarked 
that she supposed it was all owing to 
something she had said to Alice a few 
hours before. 

“And what was it mamma?” question^ 
ed her son. 




Ozark Post Office 


“Would you like to know?” she 
inquired teasingly. 

“Yes, anything that concerns her is 
of interest to me,” he declared. 

‘ ‘Well, I informed her, Walter, that I 
should no longer object to your mar- 
riage.” 

“Thanks, mamma, but I haven’t her 
consent yet. ” . .. 

“O, well, it wouldn’t become me to 
intercede for you in an affair of this 
kind; you must win her for yourself or 
learn to live without her. ” 

The conversation was held in the 
library, and the young ladies were 
assembled on the porch enjoying the 
cool evening breeze. Mrs. Parr and 
her son now joined them. 

Miss Parks had just returned from a 
drive with Capt. Braithwait and was in 
the best of humor. He had taken her out 

V 

to his fine farm a couple of miles distant,' 




Ozark Post Office. 


and showed her some of his possessions, 
though he had others elsewhere. “What 
do you think of him, Agnes?” inquired 
Mrs. Parr, with a smile. 

‘‘O, I’d like him better if he’d only 
talk more, he is so reticent,” she said 
laughing. 

“ I imagine he’d not ask you to do a 
thing more than once if you were his 
wife,’ ’ Mrs. Parr went on, still smiling. 

“Well, I wouldn’t mind obeying one 
who is competent to command,” she 
rejoined complacently. 

“You need have no fears, on that 
score,” threw in Mrs. Parr, ‘‘he’s a 
good manager. ’ ’ 

“But dear me,” said Miss Parks, “we 
have not yet been acquainted three 
months, and he certainly hasn’t pro- 
posed. ’ ’ 

Walter Parr and Alice were interested 

listeners, and little Rosa drank in every 

word. Aunt Martha, who was waiting 

♦♦254-h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


an opportunity to announce supper also 
overheard the conversation, and later in 
the evening took occasion to inform Miss 
Parks that “Captain Braithwait is a 
mighty fine gemman’, an’ rich, too,” 
she declared with emphasis. “Yo’ git 
him fo’ a husbun. Miss Agnes, an’ yo’ 
won’t hab to te’ch any mo music, I tell 
yo’ hunny. ’ ’ 

‘‘O, then you know the Captain, do 
you Auntie,” said Miss Parks. 

^‘Knowed him chil’, knowed his 
mamma ’fo’ he was bo’n. 01’ Squire 

Braithwait was his daddy. He git his 

1 

Indian blood from his mammy an’ she 
was three foufs white. Her grandfahder 
da say was a Indian chief. Mighty fine 
fo’ks I tell yo’ . ” 

“Thanks, Auntie,” said Miss Parks, 

‘ ‘when I’m married, you shall be at the 
wedding, but there ’ s nothing of it yet.” 

The monthly instalment of current 
literature had arrived that day and the 


Ozark Post Office. 


evening was spent in reading. Alice 
was occupied with a volume of Tenny- 
son, that Walter Parr had purchased for 
her in St. Louis, a few days before and 
had just finished Lady Clare. Noticing 

V 

the head lines he asked her what she 
thought of the poem. ‘Tt is very 

r > 

touching, ^ ^ she rejoined thoughtfully, 
‘‘but it seems to me it would be better 
were she the real Lady Clare. As it is, 
she is too much overshadowed by her 
lover’s generosity. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘But he makes her Lady Clare,” said 
Walter Parr, with spirit, ‘ ‘and the situa- 
tion afforded him the opportunity to prove 
his love. ’ ’ 

“Pretty in a story,” she said, still 
looking serious, ‘ ‘but it places her at a 
disadvantage at the start, with little 
possibility of her ever emerging' from 
her real position, I think,” she went on 
laughing a little, ‘ ‘that she should have 
refused him.” 


■f^2564^ 


Ozark Post Office. 



Would you have done so,” he asked 
somewhat discomforted at the turn 
things were taking. 

‘ ‘Most assuredly, I shall never marry 
above my station. ” 

“Perhaps you are right,” acquiesced 
Walter, with an effort to look cheerful. 

His mother who was sitting near over- 
heard the conversation, but was not 
disturbed by it. ‘ ‘If Walter only knew 
all, ” she mused, ‘ ‘but he will learn in 
time.” , 

For the next several months, which 
embraced the fall and winter season, 
things went on as usual at Ozark Post 
Office. There were the accustomary 
social events in the neighborhood to- 
gether with sleigh riding and skating, 
and an occasional visit was made to St. 
Louis for the purpose of attending the 
theatres, when plays of merit were an- 
nounced. On these occasions, the family 

always stopped at the Planter’s house, 

-h-257^ SIG. 33. 




V 


':^■«•'-''•*=/'^>^> . A' *- 




/ 

/ 


Ozark Post Office. 

where they were well-known, and the 
announcement in the papers that they 
were in the city was always sure to result 
in a large number of callers from among 
the old and wealthy class of citizens. 
Even when coming to town for a day’s 
shopping they made this aristocratic 
hostelry their headquarters. When 
spring came there' was noticeable an 
increased growth of grass in the main 
street of the village, a circumstance 
which attracted the attention of Webber 
who commented upon it in the Clarion 
as an evidence of business decline. 
Pointing out the situation to Deacon 
Riddle one day, the Deacon observed: 
‘‘You must have patience my friend, 
all will come round right in time. ” 

“But I haven’t an income sufficient to 
keep me going. Deacon. 1 am engaged 
in the poorest business in the world, 
with possibly one exception,” chuckling 




Ozark Post Office. 


inwardly as he felt the humorous side of 
his nature assert itself. 

‘‘And what is that,’’ inquired the 
Deacon. 

“Trying to sell a watermelon after 
frost.” 

They both laughed, and after negoti- 
ating a small loan from the Deacon, 
Webber returned to his office with a 
renewed determination to pull the Clariun 
through or perish in the attempt. ‘ ‘Ex- 
celsior is the word,’’ he cried for the 
hundredth time. 

At last the school season drew near its 
close and the commencement day on 
which Alice was to graduate was at 
hand. She had already passed her 
eighteenth birthday, and Major Chad- 
wick had returned from the East to settle 
up the estate. The secret had been 
well kept. When the hour approached 
Alice appeared to read her graduating 

essay. She was clad in pure white and 

4 ^ 259 ^ 


Ozark Post Office. 


was perfectly calm and composed. Her 
beauty and graceful deportment was the 
subject of general comment. And above 
all she possessed that ease and grace 
which comes of conscious ability and 
elevated purpose. The elite of the village 
were in attendance, and Walter Parr sat 
by the side of his mother, Miss Parks 

r 

and Rose holding a large boquet of 

flowers. Major Chadwick was also 

present. Alice read her composition, 

which she called “A Story of the War,” 

in a calm, clear voice. Every word was 

distinct. It was not lengthy, but simple 

and to the point. It began: ^ ‘There 

was a young lawyer of good family and 

education, who left his home in New 

York a year before the breaking out of 

the great civil war and settled in a 

Western village. He was married and 

had one child, a daughter, at the time, 

aged ten years. His object was to carve 

out a career for himself by means of his 

-H-260-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 


profession, and as soon as he had secured 
a sufficient income to assure their sup- 
port, to send for his wife and child to 
join him.’’ ‘‘That’s the story of her 
father,” whispered Captain Leaven- 
worth to his wife and daughter, who sat 
beside him. He was perceptibly agi- 
tated. “Having progressed sufficiently 
he at length wrote for them to come. 
They obeyed the summons. On reaching 
their destination they were informed that 
the husband and father had been slain 
an hour before by a mob for refusing to 
deny his country and his flag, and that 
at that moment his remains were smold- 
ering in the ruins of the burned building 
in which he had his office.” Major 
Braithwait who was present and sitting 
by the side of Miss Parks whispered, 

‘ ‘That’s all true, I was at his side when 
he fell.’’ The entire audience was 
becoming interested, and Mrs. Parr and 

Walter glanced at each other. ‘‘The 

-h^ 261 -h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


mother, on learning of the death of her 
husband lost her mind, and for a period 
of three years was an inmate of the 
poor house. Wandering away from her 
place of abode she died one night in the 
mountains during a terrible storm.” 
The stillness here was oppressive, and 
many exchanged significant glances. 

‘ ‘The daughter was cared for by a noble 
lady of wealth and position, who gave 
her all the advantages of a refined home, 
and educated her as though she were her 
own child. At eighteen she graduated, 
and on the same day, came into posses- 
sion of a fortune of a quarter of a 
million dollars in her own right, together 
with the assurance that her family was 
one of eminent respectability. ’ ’ 

Here the audience broke into applause 
and Major Chadwick rose to his feet. 
When order was restored, he said: 
‘‘Ladies and gentlemen, the story is 
every word true; I am here in the inter- 


Ozark Post Office. 


est of the executors of the estate and 
have just transfered to the young lady 
the amount named.” 

Here Alice bowed to leave the stage 
when Walter Parr advanced and pre- 
sented her with the flowers . She thanked 
him, and retired. 

-K263-H- 


XXV. 

Shall the lover come to his own 
at last, 

And love prove stronger than 
birth or pride? 

Ah, fate shall decide at the 
final cast — 

And who shall put her decrees 
aside. 


was a happy night at the Parr 
mansion. Miss Parks was delighted 
with Alice’s good fortune, and still more 
with her own, for Captain Braithwait had 
proposed to her on their way home from 
the graduating exercises and been ac- 
cepted, though she managed to keep 
her secret. Major Chadwick’s revelation 
was the talk of the village. Webber 
was wrought to a high pitch of enthu- 
siasm, and rushing to the post office 


Ozark Post Office. 


remarked to Deacon Riddle: “Have I 

ever written anything as improbable as 
this true story of Alice Gregg?’’ 

“Probably not,” acknowledged the 
Deacon. “Most anything can happen 
these times. ’ ’ 

^ ‘After all this you wouldn’t be sur- 
prised, would you, to hear of the 
widow’s marriage?” 

“Yes, I would; she’ll never change 
her mind ; did you ever notice that she 
never refers to Major Parr as being 
dead, but always as if he were a living, 
vital presence. ’ ’ 

“I have, though it never occurred to 
.me in that light before,” said Webber, 
making a note of the idea. He always 
jotted everything down that he thought 
might be turned to use in a literary way 
in the future. “Well;” he went on 
gathering his exchanges to depart, “all 
this justifies my record and contradicts 
the assertion that I am a writer of impos- 

44-265^#- SIG. 34. 


Ozark Post Office. 


sible stories, as you have been accus- 
tomed to call my ‘Weekly Effusions.’ ” 

‘‘O, you’re all right,” rejoined the 
Deacon, good humoredly, “your record 
is good, but remember young man you 
can’t live on it. Your memory may, 
but memories don’t require any victuals 
or clothes.” 

When the editor reached his office he 
found Captain Braithwait waiting his 
arrival. ' They shook hands when the 

^ V 

Captain said in his quiet way: ‘ ‘There 
will soon occur in the' neighborhood a 
little social event, if I may so call it, 
that will naturally furnish an item' for 
your paper. See that the affair is prop- 
erly laid ' before' the cbmmunity. You 
will -understand what I mean in due 
course of time. ” Then drawing a roll 
of crisp bills from his pocket, he con- 
tinued:' “Here’s something to pay you 
for your trouble. ’ ’ 


^ 266 ^ 


Qzark Post Office.. 


-‘/A hundred dollar treasury note,’’ 
cried Webber, in astonishment, ‘‘why 
Captain you take away my breath ; its 
the largest sum I have ever possessed at . 
one time. But I trust I may be enabled 
to give you quid pro quo , At all events 
command -the columns of the Clarion at 
any time. I say this without ' reserve 
because I know that, you never want 
anything that isn’t square and right.” 

• He ruminated for a moment and then 
ventured: ‘Is Posey in trouble again, * 

Captain?” ' . 

‘ ‘‘O, no, he’s all right,, nothing of that 
kind; if you will promise to keep the 
secret. I’ll tell you. ’ ’^ - ' . . 

‘I Captain, haven’t you often trusted < 
me,” here Webber, broke into a laugh- 
as his remark recalled the fact -that the 
Captain had often accommodated, him. 
with small loans, that were still unpaid. 
Captain Braithwait smiled, and moving 


Ozark Post Office. 


his chair a little closer to the editor 
whispered: “Pm going to get married,” ' 
" ‘Don’t say another word. Captain, ” 
rejoined Webber, in confidential tones, 

‘ ‘I know who it is, and she’s a prize. I' 
knew when I first set eyes on that girl 
that she’d never go back to Boston 
single . ” 

At this juncture Captain Braithwait 

rose to go . Webber accompanied him to 

the door and as they parted, he said: 

“It does look like prosperity is at last 

coming to Ozark Post Office.” 

As may be imagined, Alice received 

many congratulations on her good 

fortune. Walter Parr was the first to 

express his joy, adding in conclusion, 

‘‘my only regret is, that we are to 

lose your society, Alice, but I trust you’ 

will not think me selfish. If it is for 

your good I shall try and bear it.” 

His manner was serious and he spoke 

with feeling. She did not reply at once. 

-m^ 268 h- 


Ozark Post Office. 


Presently she asked, ‘ ‘Do you wish me 
to stay?” 

‘ ‘Yes,” he answered, “though I have 
no right to say so now since I can no 
longer be of service to you.” 

‘‘Are you sure of that?” she con- 
tinued, brightening a little, 

“No,” he replied, “but I have my 
fears.” 

There was a moments silence when 
she said: “Walter” — she had always 

called him Mr. Parr before — ‘‘do you 
remember that I once said to you that I 
would never marry above my station.” 
‘ ‘I do, Alice, and it was a sad blow to 
me then, fori supposed you intended the 
remark for me. ” 

■ “I did,” she returned, feelingly, 
‘ ‘but not in the light you understood it. 
I knew then, as your mother will tell 
you, that this barrier had already been 
removed.” 


♦#-269-h- 


Ozark Post Office.- 

•> r V i - 

Alice,” he cried, rising to his 
feet and moving towards her, do you 
mean it?’ ’ ' 

' ‘‘Yes,” she answered. 

“And will you be mine,” he pleaded 
taking her hands in his own. 

“I have never loved anyone else,” 
she rejoined. . 

'He stood for a moment as if dazed; 
then bent as though to imprint a kiss 
upon her brow, but she drew back and 
said with a smile that recalled him, “not 
till after we are married, Walter.” 

Major Chadwick, having fulfilled his 
mission as far as the Gregg estate was 
concerned, spent the evening in conver- 
sation with Mrs. Parr. At last bidding 
her good bye, he left, to take East bound 
train. 

He had proceeded but a short distance, 

when glancing back, he noticed, through 

the parlor window, which was open, . 

Mrs. Parr sitting in a chair, and gazing 

-H-270-H- 


Ozark Post Office. 

♦ • 

sadly at her husband’s picture on the 

wall. He paused for a moment to con- 

‘template the scene and then walking 

away with bowed head, he muttered to 

himself: ‘‘He is to her a beautiful 

memory. Perhaps she will never be 

anything more to me, and yet I would 

not exchange her image, which I wear 

in my heart for the love of any other 

woman in the world. ” 

^271-h- 


The Works of 

Commodore Rollingpin. 

(All Illustrated.) 


PROSE 

THOMAS RUTHERTON 1« mo $1.25 

THE MAN AT THE WHEEL 16 mo 1.25 

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE 16 mo 1.25 

OZARK POST OFFICE ,..16 mo 1.25 

BOPPLE, WIGGINS & CO ...16 mo 1 25 

VERSE. 

DUCK CREEK BALLADS. 16 mo .... $1.25 

LOG CABIN POEMS 16 mo 1.25 


COMPLIMENTARY NOTICES. 

In Mr. Carter’s work we find all the moods represen- 
ted. We have dialect in plenty, together with more 
elegant numbers; there is a fun that sweeps the gamut 
all the way from wit to burlesque, there is ever and 
anon a touch of pathos, masterful in its delicacy; sim- 
plicity abounds on every page and in the wholesome- 
ness of the poet’s inspiration and endeavor.— 

Field. 

“Thomas Rutherton,’’ by John Henton Carter. A 
story of personal experience, told by the author in a 
plain. Straightforward way, not without a touch of hu- 
mor and a gleam of characterization. A little more and 
one would think this was another “Story of a Country 
Town’’ ; as it is, it reads like a record of personal ex- 
perience, varied and enlivened by some imaginative 
power. — Atlantic Monthly, 

The author ’ s long experience as a newspaper man has 
enabled him to write of newspaper life understandingly 
and his happy way of relating reminiscences gives a 
real charm to the story that is hardly to be found in the 
best of Mark Twain’s books.— SL Loins Star. 

“Log Cabin Poems’’ have awakened many pleasant 
memories and have afforded me more than one hour’ ’ 
leasure, — John Hay, 




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